The God Warriors

by Sean Liebling

  "Excuse me?"

  "Yes, my Lord, when a human body or really any sentient creature approaches within ten feet of a fountain, it automatically turns on the water and lights. They go off when you leave the ten foot radius." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I saved the guild a fortune in maintenance costs but haven't seen a penny of it so far." He shrugged and kept leading the way.

  "Amazing," said John, meaning it.

  "Well, Sir John, it was really the hard work of wizards long dead that set the stage for all this to happen. It was they, who learned how to bond a spell to a physical and inanimate object. Before that, all spell casting was confined to what the practitioner could do with their hands.

  "Interesting."

  At the end of the hall was a doorway with a single door inset. Beside it was a blue starburst with what looked like a button, painted yellow, set into its center. "Please push the button, my Lord," the man directed. John reached outward to press the button and after a pause of a few seconds, the door swung open, causing the wizard to frown.

  "Now that's just wrong!" he exclaimed.

  "What's wrong?" Demanded John,

  "The door shouldn't have opened for you. It's only supposed to open for true wizards. Any non-wizard attempting to enter would cause a bell to ring inside for someone to meet you here. Hmm… I suppose that means it considers you a wizard. Interesting. It's actually a double, no triple spell."

  A thought occurred to John, and he asked. “So you can link one spell to another, right? What's the limitation on that?"

  "I'm sure what you mean, but we routinely link two or three spells together, occasionally more, but the more you link, the harder they are to create."

  "Can you make that button spell so anyone can operate it? Say, like Alvaldi here?" John pointed at his friend who frowned, watching.

  "Sure, that would be much easier than the way it's set up now. Why, what are you thinking, my Lord?"

  "I'll let you know later. I'm still running through my thoughts. Question, instead of an open door spell, could you attach the button spell to a fire spell for instance?"

  "Why sure, but why would we want to blow our own door apart in a big blast of fire? Besides, whoever was standing here would be incinerated, as would a good portion of the wall."

  "How hard would it be?" John asked while ignoring the question.

  "A fire spell is slightly harder than a door-open spell but still fairly easy. It's one of the first spells we learn. Watch, my Lord." With that, he held his palm up and a ball of fire formed about five inches in diameter. Except it was not really fire. John was looking at tightly controlled Chaos wrapped in bands of Order, very similar to what he infused in his sword. "Those large balls of fire you see have mass, so we're able to throw them a good distance. Even this little one has weight, just not a lot. The explosions you see are part of the spell. The bands of Order are released without dispersing the Chaos first. This causes those huge balls of fire. I can draw a picture of what it approximately looks like, my Lord." He continued.

  "No need. I can see the bound Chaos just fine." John muttered as his mind furiously worked on the problem.

  That startled the wizard, who just stared at him and nodded.

  "Can you reshape the bands of Order to be square or rectangular, instead of round like they are now? Then only release one side of the bands so the Chaos is directed, instead of going in all directions?" asked John.

  "Like this, my Lord?”asked Adrostos, as he grinned while reshaping the ball of fire. Now it was decidedly square, and John could see how the bands grouped. "Yes, easy. Do you see that?" John simply nodded his mind whirling.

  "One last question, then. You can continue showing us around. Can you have the button spell not only activate the fireball spell but release the binding simultaneously?"

  "Of course. Easy, in fact, but it would kill anyone that activated it."

  "Not if you put a delay in the button spell like you did the door," stated John with confidence. He just solved a problem while creating three new weapons for the guard arsenal.

  "Ah, that would be true. Hmm…" Now the wizard was thinking through the problem. "But you would need an object to put the fire activation and release spell in. I'm not sure what I'd use."

  "Ha! I know exactly what I would use, and I want you assigned to me, Adrostos. I have need of your services for the good of crown and kingdom. Are you up to it? I'll have you creating some amazing devices."

  "Ah, sure, my Lord. If you can get the Master Wizard to release me, I would be honored to help you."

  "What if I have the King simply order him?"

  "Well, that would work too," replied the young man as he juggled the square of fire in his hand before letting it dissolve back into its components.

  [You have a very devious mind, Champion, and one I approve of.] Suddenly the voice of Shianna was in his head, and if he did not know better he would have thought she was smirking.

  Thank you, Shianna.

  [I hate to cut your tour short, but part of my presents are here and await you. Use them wisely.]

  Where?

  [At the central gate. It's why the alarm bells are ringing. Now go.]

  Sure enough, now that John wasn't lost in his own thoughts, he realized Alvaldi was dragging him down the hallway and that he could distantly hear bells pealing in the distance.

  "John, John! Whatever you're thinking, stop! We are under attack. To the gates. We must go!" shouted Alvaldi as John started running beside him. The front door still hung open, and as they ran through, John saw that Adrostos followed behind.

  It was over three miles to the gate, but they hitched a ride in a passing wagon which was carrying troops, also to the front gate, and were there within ten minutes. As they arrived, John saw the General Vendele there already, near the third set of iron bars of the portcullis, at the edge of the bailey where defenders would try to hold off the attackers if they breached the gate tunnel or breached the walls. The gate itself was actually an above ground tunnel, extended a good twenty meters from the city walls, and had three portcullises. John was quite sure there were slots in the tunnel to allow oil, fire, or arrows to pummel any attacking army that breached it.

  "General, where do you need us?" shouted John as he shouldered his way to the general officer who was shouting commands over the din of armor clashing and horses screaming. The two wolves helped in this, shouldering guards aside as they kept pace with John.

  "Where are your men, Captain? We have what looks like a full tribe of Sotar outside the gates and some huge black horse. It may take all of us to hold them back until reinforcements arrive from the barracks," shouted the general back at John.

  "They were at the training grounds with Alvaldi's men while he and I toured the wizards’ guildhall."

  "Well, don't worry about it, then, for now. Both of you stay near me, and I'm sure your men will catch up sooner or later. Now, I don't know if…" and the general paused as he stared at John's face with eyes growing wider by the second.

  [What is outside, are my gifts to you, Champion. You might wish to collect them before they scare the general even more.] The amused voice of Shianna filled his head.

  Thank you, Shianna.

  "Do you realize one of your god marks was glowing brighter than normal? It was the mark of the Goddess Shianna."

  "No, but it doesn't surprise me, General. I was just talking to her. Ah, perhaps the men can stand down. Shianna informs me that those outside the gate are her presents to me." John grinned sheepishly as the general stared at him, dumbfounded, then turned and started shouting for everyone to quiet down, then he turned back to John.

  "Let me get this straight. An entire tribe of Sotar warriors—we are talking at least twenty-five hundred men and women here—and the largest horse I have ever seen in my life, that must stand over twenty hands high and is obviously not of this world, are presents from the Goddess Shianna?" The general looked shocked then leaned closer to whisper. "I swear that horse'
s eyes glow red, and there's something on its forehead."

  "Yes, Sir. According to Shianna, they are gifts. By the way, simply address her as Shianna; she says she doesn't stand on all that formality nonsense." John smiled innocently and shrugged as the general simply shook his head.

  "Well, by all means John, let's not keep your gifts waiting. Open the gates one at a time. Sir John the Champion and I will be the only ones exiting the gate!" he shouted to everyone near them, then walked with John over to the iron grate and waited. Within a minute, it started to rise and the two stepped through along with Alvaldi, who wasn't about to be left behind. The general gave him the eye but said nothing as they walked to the next gate. Behind them, the previous gate fully lowered before the middle grate started to ascend.

  They were soon outside the walls, and as John and the general came to a stop, Alvaldi took up a defensive stance beside them, body sideways and right hand on sword hilt, trying to look in three directions at once. The two Lorr wolves stood beside them, one on John's side and the other next to the general. What happened next surprised them all, including the men atop the parapet, which lined the walls on each side of the gate.

  With a speed that amazed him, the men and women of the Sotar drew their long knives, each a wavy bladed dagger approximately a foot long, while simultaneously dropping to their right knee and crossing their arms, blade tips pointed upward. Instinctively, John knew this was the Sotar form of saluting someone with honor and respect. And then, the greatest surprise of all came. The huge coal black horse that did indeed have glowing red eyes (the general was correct) dropped to one knee and bowed his neck, muzzle almost touching the ground. On its forehead, a glowing symbol blazed as bright as day, that of the Goddess Shianna, the wavy bladed dagger pointing downward. John had to admit the glowing symbol looked great on the huge beast, which must have been a full five or six hands higher than the largest horse he had ever seen before in his life.

  "I think they are waiting for you to tell them to rise, John." whispered Alvaldi as he and the general stood dumbfounded.

  "Right! Rise, Sotar, and have your leader approach me," he called out, and like a wave, the assembled host of slightly short, heavily muscled, and barely clothed men and women rose, sheathing their long daggers. As one of the older men approached, the horse stepped to John, lowering his head. John knew this animal must have weighed three quarters of a ton. He stood still as the giant head tilted. Inching forward a bit more, their foreheads touched.

  Electricity crackled through his body, and in that instant, John knew that huge horse was his and that they had just imprinted upon one another. Tears filled his eyes. He reached up to hug the great neck, his arms barely able to circle its girth. Next to his ear, the great horse's nostrils flared and snorted softly as a multitude of feelings suffused both man and beast. Love, determination, commitment, and dedication, all those and more passed between the two before they parted. Only then did John see the saddle and tack gear that adorned the massive steed.

  [I see you are suitably impressed with my present. His name is Shadow. He is known as a Death Steed,] the goddess stated calmly. There might even have been a hint of warmth in the tone of her thought.

  Wow, just wow! Where did you get him, and how much energy did it cost if he's not of this world? I don't wish you to wear yourself out. I have a feeling you'll need your energy in the months and years to come, Shianna.

  [He is not of this world, but from another that is now a dead body orbiting a star far away. I collected a herd of these long ago and kept them in my domain. If a direct transfer occurred from the planet in that dimension to this one, then the cost would have been high, indeed. However, transferring from my realm to Corvalis required only a minimal expenditure of power. Now, as you have pledged to us gods to do our bidding, I will pledge to you that if you succeed in victory in the coming battle, I will transfer a mare for this stallion that you might breed her sparingly, the offspring only given to your children. They will only bond with those whose character they like.]

  Shianna, I don't know what to say. This is too much.

  [Not so. I have a good feeling about you, Champion. Unlike the last one from centuries ago, you have common sense and care about the people you command. One last thing, Shadow is not like a normal horse. His breed is comprised of flesh and blood but also high-density silicone. He is almost indestructible and will regenerate a missing limb if need be. He will eat what the horses there eat, but be not surprised if you find him chewing and devouring certain rocks, as he needs that form of nourishment also. This tribe of Sotar before you is yours to command. They will be your bodyguards and follow every order you give them. More Sotar will arrive as they are needed. This Sotar beside you is Ulf, and he is the Nas of Sarth.]

  I thank you! And the conversation was over. Shianna was not one for polite talk. When she said what she needed to say, she simply left.

  John turned from Shadow after giving him an affectionate caress along his cheek and faced the deeply tanned older Sotar beside him. Tattoos covered what looked like every inch of his body, and when he saw that John was looking at him, he saluted again, though this time his people did not. They simply stared and watched. The two Lorr wolves were lying next to the huge hoofs of the great steed, panting slightly, watching the surroundings.

  "Greetings Ulf, Nas of Sarth, I would have you rise," he said, fluently speaking the northeastern dialect of the Sotar language. A murmur rose from the assembled Sotar host when they heard him speak, and Ulf looked up, rising, once again sheathing his weapons.

  "Greetings, Champion of Shianna, Goddess of Death," replied the man. "Command us."

  "One moment, Ulf," said John then turned to the general."Where do I put them, Sir?" he asked, shrugging helplessly.

  "Put who, Captain, the Sotar or the horse? Perhaps you'd best fill me in on what's going on here."

  John started speaking and the general’s eyes grew wider and wider as John’s experience from the last few minutes were recounted, including the impressions from the Death Steed and innate knowledge of the Sotar that he never knew he had. Finally, John was finished, and Galot nodded thoughtfully.

  "Alright, they can stay in the guest barracks for visiting dignitary's guards. It's empty right now, but be warned, there is only room for about a thousand. Not sure where we'll put the rest, but we'll figure something out." He paused, then said, "I could say I'm taking a big chance here, but I know the Sotar rather well. They are honorable."

  "There is no need for more space, General" spoke Ulf in Korath. "The champion’s warriors will sleep where they can and when they can. Our goddess has not chosen a champion in eons. Several thousand years at least, meaning this one is special." He pointed at John and continued. "Also, by our word of honor, when the champion is in residence in Korath City, we of the Sotar will also protect that city with our lives.

  "I expected no less," responded the general gruffly. He then turned to John and remarked, "I didn't know you spoke Sotar."

  "I speak all languages, General, and all dialects of those languages," John replied.

  "The gift of tongues, then. Figures." Now Galot looked at John and pointed. "You and me. Later in my offices, at eight bells after midday."

  "Yes, Sir," John responded, turning to walk forward into the horde of the peoples of Sotar to get to know them.

  Chapter 13

  ~Thorvald~

  Thorvald grinned amidst his shaggy beard as he reviewed the reports crossing his new desk. The old one had been carted away two weeks ago, when he inadvertently destroyed it to get the attention of his advisors. His white teeth flashed in the torchlight as he chortled over yet another report. He normally hated being king and wished the pox on his father half the time he had to deal with paperwork, but in this case, he was ecstatic.

  Evidently, his advisors had taken his warnings to heart and pulled out all stops in acquiring the men he wanted and Earthhaven needed in protection from the Jugazi. There was a time for discussion and a
time to get out of the ore car and push. This moment was of the later, and he could not have been happier.

  Not only did it look like he would get his six hundred thousand, but that he would instead end up with almost seven hundred thousand. Departments were being cut to the bone, and Thana were already in training everywhere under the guidance of grizzled veterans of the militia. Thorvald knew this would have an impact on short-term production of many commodities, but he felt survival trumped the need for a new toilet seat, for instance.

  Two days after the volcano erupted, the Lorr had arrived with General Cyrus himself at their head, when the first eagle flight landed. Now they had two full squadrons of Lorr eagle riders, thirty thousand Lorr warriors spread throughout Earth Haven and the general himself was next door, using the office his main advisor cleared out. While the king concentrated on keeping the kingdom running and building his army, the Lorr General handled the refugees from Ashstone, salvage operations, and security, all while the Thana ramped up to speed.

  With the Lorr host had also come their mages. Superior to the Thana wizards in every way, they were rapidly bringing the devastation at Ashstone under control. Although the Thana preferred to live near active volcanoes for the dense metals that constantly bubbled to the surface, Thorvald did not blame them when they capped the flow off at the mantle itself, putting a solid core in place, harder than the surface around it. No more would that particular volcano provide any problems, and if truth was told, the metals still there would keep the new Ashstone busy for hundreds of years. Maybe when the mines started to go dry, he or his descendants would ask the mages to remove the cap.

  The truth about the extra numbers was the Thana females. While it was factual that the average female Thana was much smaller than their male counterparts, some small percentage were just as large and strong as the males, just like in any race. Many of those had volunteered for the militia, which was enough for an additional fifty thousand troops. Thorvald knew the men were having a hard time adjusting to fighting side by side with women, but his militia advisor had taken the Jordache model and built upon it. Thorvald had drawn the line on any women with children, but that only eliminated a small percentage of those volunteering. Blood begets blood, and his people were very angry.