“What's your name?” asked the bowman.
“Finn.”
“Finn who? What's your family name?” asked one of the men with a shield.
“I haven't a family name. I was born in servitude to the king,” replied Finn.
“I am Borman Thyn of the Stone Water clan,” said the bowman with gray hair.
“Gilnor Kynd,” said one of men holding a shield. He had hair the color of straw that went to his shoulders. His beard was coarse and pulled down. A braided leather strap wrapped the center of it. “And this is my brother Dord Kynd,” Gilnor pointed to the other bowman.
“This is Hemlor Nyman. He is the Earl of the Stone Water clan,” said Borman. He pointed at the other man with a shield. He was older than the other men but just as strong. His hair was long and appeared to be thinning. However, Finn saw that his hair was not thinning at all. He had a large scar that twisted down the side of his head. Hair did not grow on the scar, but it was thick all around it. Helmor kept his beard trimmed not too far below his chin.
“Your valor is honorable, Finn. However, a fight is coming. We cannot be distracted by you,” said the Earl of Stone Water.
“Leave now … or you will be buried here,” said the man with the axes. He looked at Finn with great disdain. His skin was browned from the sun. His hair and beard were brown, but had also been lighted from exposure. The blood on his arm had dried. The cloth over his wound was now covered in dried blood.
“Calm yourself, Torin,” said Helmor.
Finn was hot with anger. He did not know why he had to stay and fight. He could just pass them and track the caravan. However, he was tired of being told what to do. He was no longer a servant; he was no longer a slave to gorgons. He was a grown man that was free. Most of all, he carried a deep hatred for the black snakes that had taken Nylah.
I will stay. Let these men kill me if they must, but I will at least make one of them bleed. I am no longer a servant to anyone.
Suddenly, there was a shadow overhead. Finn looked up to see the falcon with its wings outspread. It soared down quickly with a graceful speed. It turned its legs down opening its razor talons. It beat its wings to come to a stop, as it landed on the overturned wagon. The men were large but the falcon was larger. The wagon cracked and splintered under its weight. It eyed the men fiercely. There was no hesitation.
It will fight these men if I do. It is with me.
Finn walked and stood in front of the great falcon. Its wings were outstretched. The great bird's size and wingspan towered over Finn.
“I will stay and fight.”
The men looked at Finn and the enormous falcon.
“Stay and fight,” said the Earl of Stone Water.
“And bring your bird,” said Borman Thyn, causing the other men to laugh.
___________
The sun was beginning to set. A deep red and orange hue laid over the horizon before the second scouting party approached the wagon. This scouting party was larger than the first. Finn was able to count at least fifteen of them. The gorgons were cautious in their approach to the overturned wagon. They looked it over while standing over the corpses of the slain gorgons. One of them pulled a large arrow from a corpse. It showed it to the others. Finn could not hear what they said. However, there was an agreement among them. These gorgons carried spears and shields. The black tunics they wore had long ago faded. Some were torn in places. Their tails were all coiled around one leg.
These gorgons have seen battle. They are footmen. Where is their captain?
Finn and Borman Thyn were both far from the wagon. Their bows were aimed at the gorgons. They aimed high to adjust for the wind.
“Something is wrong. Who is leading them? There is no leader among them,” whispered Finn.
“This is not the entire scouting party,” replied Borman.
“Where are the rest?” asked Finn.
“I don't know but we are about to strike them. We either give them enough time to discover our positions and fight exposed, or we kill these and prepare for the onslaught,” replied Borman.
Finn breathed in deeply, as he looked to the gorgons.
Are the others watching us, as we watch them?
“Steady yourself,” whispered Borman.
“I am steady,” replied Finn.
Calm yourself. They make much larger targets than quail or pheasants.
“Remember, we all leave this world. You will die one day … either some future time or this moment. If it is today, I am eager to take as much of these vile snakes with me as I can. Together though … we might be able to take them all,” whispered Borman.
Finn set his aim on a gorgon. He aimed slightly high. The arrow would hit just below the neck. He pulled back on the bowstring and looked to Borman.
“I have my mark. We will try to kill them all,” said Finn, as he continued to keep his eyes on the gorgon.
Borman drew a thick wooden arrow and notched it. The bowstring stretched as he pulled. He looked the gorgons over and took a target. The one holding the arrow. He aimed. The string and bow groaned and stretched. Suddenly, the arrow sang as it shot towards the gorgons. It ripped through the air and caught the gorgon in the neck, just below the chin. The gorgon flew backwards into the wagon. Black blood poured on the wagon. The other gorgons raised their shields, but it was too late. Finn's arrow whistled through the air. The target had started to turn, but it still dug deeply into the gorgons back. The gorgon twisted and fell to one knee, as it reached for the arrow. Blood dripped from its nose and mouth. It cried out in a guttural rasp and fell to the ground.
“You killed your gorgon. Nicely aimed,” said Borman. “Now, continue and remember … don't hit us.”
Finn notched another arrow and picked a gorgon. However, another larger arrow ripped through its waist and abdomen. Finn could see Dord Kynd notching another arrow. He was positioned just north of Finn. The gorgons held their shields up. They didn't know which direction the next arrow would come. Finn released another arrow. It soared towards the gorgons catching one in the arm. It tore through muscle and tendon. Finn heard a rush through the woods. He saw Gilnor Kynd, Hemlor Nyman, and Torin running to the gorgons. Gilnor and Hemlor ran with their shields out front. They crashed into the gorgons like rolling mountains. Finn saw chips of bone and teeth explode from the shields. Torin hacked and chopped through the dazed gorgons. Another arrow sailed passed Gilnor Kynd and dug into a gorgon's skull. Finn watched the carnage.
It should not be this easy.
Finn felt the ground rumble. He heard the sounds of a horn behind him. It was the hollow sound of a war horn. It echoed three bursts in short succession. Finn quickly turned to look.
God and kings!
The rest of the scouting party charged towards them. There were more than twenty of them. They were a mass of hulking muscle and scales. Two gorgons carried their standards of war. A black and yellow banner with a coiled snake poised to strike. One gorgon held a war horn carved from the tusk of some beast Finn had never seen. He continued to sound the horn in three rapid bursts. Enormous wolves, of the like Finn had never seen, ran alongside the gorgons. Some of them seemed to spring from the very ground itself. The land moaned and crevices ripped open with sounds of splitting wood. The wolves jumped from the gaping holes in a full run. A man rode atop one of the wolves. Two other men charged with the gorgons.
Skin Slavers!
Finn turned and ran towards Borman Thyn and the others. He held tightly to his bow.
“Behind me!” Finn yelled.
The men had already heard the horn blasts. Finn felt one of Borman's massive arrows whisk by his head. He heard the whelp of a wolf, as it cried out and rolled to the ground. He did not turn to look; he kept running. Gilnor and Hemlor still battled three gorgons at the wagon. Finn notched an arrow and fired. His arrow strayed from its mark, but diverted the gorgon's attention long enough for Hemlor to strike it down with his sword. Dord shot an arrow past Finn, towards the approaching army.
Finn did not turn but he could hear that it found its target.
“Find cover and use every arrow you have,” Borman said to Finn.
Finn ran past the men and the wagon. He stood behind a tree with massive roots that twisted into the ground. He leaned into the tree and notched an arrow. The gorgon army was close. A wolf charged away from the pack towards Dord Kynd. Saliva dripped from its jaws, as it growled and leapt at Dord. Its red eyes were wild with a snarling rage. Borman grabbed the wolf with one hand around its throat. It snapped and wrestled in Borman's grasp, as it ferociously bit in every direction. Borman threw it to the ground. The wolf tried to regain its footing, but it was too late. Dord stabbed down with one of his thick arrows. It cracked through the wolf's skull leaving it writhing on the dirt. Dord put one foot on the wolf and pulled the arrow free. He notched it and sent it sailing back towards the gorgons.
Finn aimed towards the skin slaver riding the wolf. The slaver was thin with tightly wound muscles, like a knotted rope. He wore another man's face as a mask. Finn's arrow whistled over wolves and gorgons until if found its mark. The skin slaver twisted back as the arrow lodged into his collarbone. He slumped to one side and tried to regain control over the wolf. He momentarily met eyes with Finn. He yelled and kicked at the wolf causing it to charge towards Finn. Finn quickly notched another arrow. This one hit the slaver in the stomach causing him to fall from the wolf. However, his hand was tangled in the leather strap that he used to rein the wolf. The wolf continued to charge at Finn. The skin slaver twisted and flapped beside the wolf like a doll. When his hand fell loose, the slaver simply rolled to a stop in a clump of flesh and broken bone. Finn reached for another arrow, but kept his eyes on the wolf. It was enormous. Finn fumbled with the first arrow he took. It fell to the ground. He grabbed another and quickly notched it. However, it was too late. The wolf had leapt at him. Finn could smell the dank odor of its fur. He could feel the heat from its breath. The teeth of the wolf were stained yellow and jagged in places. The arrow shot out into the ground. Finn tried to jump away from the wolf, but it was too late. Finn felt a gust of wind as the falcon swooped down. It knocked Finn to one side, while snatching the wolf up into its talons. The wolf cried out and convulsed in the falcon's grasp. The great bird ascended up, as it sliced through the wolf with its razor sharp talons. The wolf fell in two pieces over the gorgon army.
I am alive.
The gorgons and men met clashing together. Borman had dropped his bow. He held a sword in each hand and hacked wildly at the gorgons. The men fought closely together with their backs to the overturned wagon and each other. The gorgons poured into them like river water wrapping around a stone. Finn had less than ten arrows remaining. He carefully aimed each one. He shot wide of the men and hit the gorgons on the outside of the cluster of battle. The falcon circled close to Finn. It swooped down raking its talons across the gorgons. Finn heard screams and saw blood spurt from the group. The great bird would always return to Finn to ensure his safety.
Gilnor Kynd pushed forward with his shield knocking gorgons back. Torin swung ferociously at the enemy, severing limbs and cracking spears. The last remaining wolf charged the men. Its jaws sank into Torin's arm. He stumbled and then slammed the hilt of his axes into the wolf's back. It snarled and pulled at his arm. Hemlor sliced through the wolf's neck with his sword. Its head separated from its body and both fell to the ground, which was now littered with corpses. As Hemlor turned back to the gorgons, a spear sank into his chest. He grabbed at it, but another followed into his stomach. He coughed and labored to breath. His lips grew wet with blood.
“No!” yelled Torin.
Torin swung his axes in a rage. Hemlor's heavy frame fell to the ground. Torin reached out for him, but a gorgon thrust his spear at him. Torin cut through the spear but the bladed tip cut deeply across his waist. He cried out with anger. Borman drove both his blades into the gorgon’s chest and kicked it to the ground. Torin held his waist and leaned against the wagon. Gilnor, Dord, and Borman stood in front of him, as they battled the remaining gorgons. They were covered in the dark blood of the gorgons.
Finn spotted the last of the Skin Slavers. His donned skins were bloody. It made them curl and hang strangely from the slaver. It was as if he was molting. The slaver was turning to run from the fight. Finn notched an arrow and sent it sailing towards him. It struck the skin slaver in the back. He twisted and fell forward. Finn fired another arrow where the man fell. Suddenly, Finn felt a heavy blow to the back of his head and neck. He stumbled and turned. The gorgon swung again with the base of a broken spear. Finn dodged to one side causing the gorgon to only hit his shoulder and arm. Finn thought his arm would sink into the earth. He stabbed the beast in the neck with an arrow. It yelled in a garbled tone. Finn reached for another, as the gorgon grabbed him by the neck and jawline. He brought him close up to his face. The blood spilled from the arrow jutting from its neck. Finn buried another arrow into its gut. It squeezed Finn's throat. He struggled to breathe. The gorgon suddenly straightened and released its grip. Finn saw the falcon's talons emerge from the gorgon's chest. It rose up taking the gorgon with it. The falcon closed its sharp claws slicing through the gorgon's bones and crushing its chest. Finn grabbed for his bow on the ground. He found it and turned back towards the fight. Borman Thyn stood in front of him. He was coated in sweat and wet with blood.
“The gorgons are dead or retreating,” said Borman.
“We've won,” said Finn.
“It seems. But our Earl is dead and Torin is gravely wounded,” replied Borman.
Finn stood. His legs felt weak. He saw Gilnor and Dord standing at the overturned wagon. Torin sat leaning against it. The ground was soaked in dark blood. Gorgon corpses and limbs were strewn about. Finn saw the body of Hemlor Nyman lying on the ground. He had been turned onto his back, his shield resting over his chest. Finn stared down at him in confusion and bewilderment.
“He has … turned to stone,” whispered Finn.
“It is our nature in death,” said Dord.
“What do you mean?” asked Finn.
“Enough with your questions,” said Torin, in rasped voice.
“Why did he turn to stone in death?” Finn asked Borman.
“It is the way of all Stone Giants,” replied Borman.
Chapter 24
The Face of the North
The foothills of the Northern Realm were lush with tall grass that stretched to the horizon. The sloping lands were littered with jagged formations of rock that revealed streaks of brightly colored tiger lily and other minerals. The trees were heavyset and did not grow in clusters or groups. Instead, they grew separate from each other, like lone sentries among the grass and rock. The roots of the trees were as wide as their trunk. They started above the ground and reached out like tentacles from some great sea beast. The roots spread out and slowly descended into the ground. Their branches were thick and still full with brown and red leaves, which had only recently begun to fall to the grass or be pulled in the breeze. Luras and Matthias walked through the foothills. Their hoods were up due to the light mist in the air.
“I can smell the ocean,” said Luras.
“Yes. It is still far off, but the open land lets the wind carry it through the hills,” replied Matthias.
“This land is beautiful. I have never been this far north. These trees look as if they could stand and walk.”
“They can … and they only eat Bourne, so they're quite hungry.”
“What an end that would be,” laughed Luras. “Make the journey north, fighting wolves and such … only to be swallowed up by a tree.”
“Don't worry. I would tell no one. I'd never admit it,” laughed Matthias.
“Why are they this way?”
“The trees … I don't know. I heard that they were uprooted from another land and planted here by Granduers thousands of years ago. They left some of the roots exposed so they could make beds on them and sleep among the trees. It's just a story though. I t
hink this is just the way the trees are.”
“You were from the north … at one time?”
“That was a long time ago.”
“I would find this land worth fighting for.”
“Yes … but you end up fighting for a person and not the land. You will find the Northern Realm to be inhospitable. This is why it hasn't fallen to these invaders. It is as violent as it is beautiful … and its beauty is never ending.”
“What part of this realm did you live in?” asked Luras.
“I was mostly gone … traveling across this realm and the others. Fighting. My home, though, was at the sea's edge. My wife and son lived there.”
“I would like to see the ocean,” said Luras.
“You also wanted to have an ale, but only had a sip. Do you now plan on looking at the sea with only one eye?”
“What happened to your family?”
“They’re gone. Dead.”
“What happened to them?”
“Some other time, Luras. Not today.”
___________
Luras and Matthias continued to travel the foothills. They did not stop to eat until the early evening. The light was soft in the hills; the mist mixed with a slow breeze. Tall grass revealed the wind as it swayed. They made camp by one of the trees. Its roots twisted around the camp blocking their fire from the breeze. Matthias roasted a plump field hare over the flames.
“I wonder of Wreth and the others,” said Luras.
“You have to assume that they’re safe,” said Matthais.
“That is my hope.”
“You shouldn't think of it any other way. Otherwise, it will … do you hear that?”
Matthias reached for his sword.
“Horses,” replied Luras.
They stood. Eight armed riders were in the distance. They rode towards the camp. One of the riders carried a standard with a banner of blue and white with the image of a red sword in the center. They wore plated armor over their legs and chest with leather greaves bearing steel ringlets. Their boots were coarse leather for riding, but had a plate of iron along the front for combat. Matthias pulled his hood down tightly over his brow.
A Dark Tyranny Page 19
