Consequences Within Chaos

by Derek Barton

  His words were lost; his stomach cramped in his throat. The prince could only stare at her in disbelief.

  #7

  Sweat dripped down Taihven’s neck and wet his bangs. His head ached and his body was still exhausted and weary from his recent battle with the Khorthas. He concentrated harder and a larger-than-normal ring formed. The gate showed on the other side the center of Wyvernshield’s courtyards. Captain Ruessard and Sergeant Devin stood in formation with groups of Wyvernguard.

  Akuem still held onto Taihven’s shoulder as he bobbed his head signaling several stout Balshazra to enter the ring. They were armed with long, silver-tipped lances.

  That afternoon, they had worked out details to a plan and Akuem had even offered more reinforcements, but the prince felt too guilty at asking Akuem to risk his own people. This was his father’s war, his father’s throne and it should be his father’s people to fight against this threat. Yet, they were desperate.

  This idea of shedding or.… the idea of death as you share among your kind — it is so distressing to me.

  Taihven turned to look into his face and eyes; even though it was not necessary for their communication, it just felt right to him.

  It is a fear that unites every individual in our realm. No one on either side of this wants to die, but they have forced us to defend what is ours and defend our home.

  Akuem responded, I do not say this to mean that we are not willing to fight for your cause. I mean that for us, we only look forward to our renewal — Shedding. It has never been a thought of ours that other beings might not have the gift of restoration. This has impacted us greatly. Now it is easier to understand why other beings are so aggressive and fight so hard for what they have. Due to death they are not able to further care for their families and offspring. They fight for lives and futures of their families. I hope we will be able to help secure your families, Wandering Wolf.

  In the view within the gate ring, Taihven laughed to himself when he saw Captain Ruessard trying to direct the Balshazra. He was obviously very uncomfortable with the strange, foreign arrivals.

  #8

  Taihven opened the hallway door and entered the hall leading to the War Room. Twin Wyvernguard stood in rigid attention and saluted Taihven when he approached. The youth blanched and stared at the men. He was not accustomed to any form of respect, especially from the castle guards. He returned an awkward salute back, then entered.

  Queen Demetryce sat alone, pouring over war maps again and had a handful of black icon markers in her left hand. She had not looked up when he intruded and sat down across from her. He knew it was always better to let her finish first and then when she is ready, she would acknowledge him.

  The steady echoes of boulders hitting the moat gates could be heard and felt. At least now, whip-like cracks of lightning bolts blasting back at the Viestrahl could also be made out.

  She finally pushed back into her chair with an annoyed sigh and wiped at her eyes with her hands. This was the first time Taihven had been alone with her since his father’s death. He did not avert his eyes from her gaze, but he had no words to begin the conversation.

  The queen broke the silence with, “We cannot even be sure of the number protecting that camp along the river!”

  He shook his head negative, “It is not as important at this point. We knew the Horde would surround us. The good thing is that we have numerous stores of food.”

  “But we did not think to bottle any water?” she argued. “There is precious little untainted.”

  “Mother, no one could have predicted this.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger as she determined if he was mocking her. His expression remained calm, unemotional. “Auste knows how we react and probably our contingencies. He looked for ways to come at us in ambush.”

  Her shoulders slumped as the ire in her face diminished. “I have decided to order for a battalion to leave at the crest of the Meridian Moons. They are going to swi—”

  “— That is suicide and nothing will come of those deaths.” Ruessard interrupted as he walked into the War Room.

  “We are not going to last without water!”

  “Your Highness, with all due respect, even if the battalion got through all the Horde encamped all around us, the river force is well hidden and we have no idea of those numbers. The Crellens were not successful in detecting them.” His voice tinged with frustration and restraint.

  “They already have done their damage.” Taihven stated flatly.

  The conversation broke off. They were struck by his blunt tone.

  He shrugged in response. “Well, they have! We know now that we cannot drink the river water. The infected and dead have been quarantined. Without a single loss of life, the Viestrahl have killed over a hundred of our people. Sending in men to stop them from poisoning the river any longer would only give them more deaths and it is useless at this point. The true problem we have is how do we find fresh water?”

  Ruessard went to reply, but was overwhelmed by the rapid report of boulders rolling across one of the tower’s patios. “That is getting quite old!” the queen complained.

  “Wait!” Taihven said aloud and held up his hand. A sudden thought struck him. As the thought evolved into dread, the prince paled.

  “Your Highness?” Ruessard asked.

  “We… we are in serious trouble!” Taihven’s voice dropped down to a whisper.

  “What are you getting at?”

  Taihven stood up. “Remember when I asked you before ‘where are they getting the boulders?’. It is not like they are lying all around. I think I might have an answer.”

  The queen interjected, “They must have hauled them from the Corrta Vast.”

  “No, our scouts would have seen them and besides the sheer number of boulders would have been a considerable undertaking,” the captain answered.

  “What if they did not need to?” Taihven continued. “What if they were digging them out? Right here!”

  Panic rolled across the veteran soldier’s face. “They are digging under our own walls!” He screamed.

  “And they are piling those rocks at the bases of the walls and gates. The walls will surely cave-in from all that weight!” Taihven confirmed his conclusion.

  Before either adult could continue, as if on cue, the walls shuddered and a torturous roar of collapsing earth sounded all over the castle.

  ***

  Captain Ruessard, Letandra and Taihven ran out onto the patio, frantic to get a view of the moat walls. Each of them had not been prepared for the sight before them.

  At the western end of the outer moat, a wall and gate had been breached. Wood, boulders and men lay strewn like a giant’s broken toys. The remaining two moat gates were strained and the center wall listed forward a few feet. The Viestrahl camped along the west advanced in mass, crossing the moat waters by rope ladders and rough-cut logs. Enraged beasts poured over the defenses and swarmed the posted Wyvernguard. The Balshazra retaliated with multiple blasts of lightning.

  “We will not last long enough to worry about drinking water!” Letandra exclaimed.

  Ruessard without a word, spun on his heels and charged back into the room and then down the stairwell.

  Taihven grabbed Letandra’s arm, “No matter what, you must stall them and keep them back as long as you can. I have an idea, but it might take me a bit to accomplish.”

  He trailed after the captain.

  “Wait!” she screamed behind him. “Where are you going? What are you going to do?”

  Over his shoulder he replied, “I am going to bring us fire to fight with fire!”

  He darted to the stairs, but ascended the stairs to get to his bed chamber. He had to retrieve the Eyes of Cinnelel.

  #9

  Palyavek, the Duradramyn Beneradt, held tight the reins of his Lashkair canine mount. Beside him, Prince Taihven crouched as he surveyed a set of stick and mud huts in a valley below them. The two had already navigated past two patrols of Eulocth guards.
The closer the pair had gotten to the village the more he doubted the prince’s plan would work.

  He leaned over and gripped the boy’s shoulder. He whispered, “They have not seen us. You should reconsider and come up with an alternative.”

  Taihven shook his head, but he did not unclench his jaws either.

  “You are set to this motion? Your outcome may be worse in the end.”

  “No, no. We are—”

  “—Wolf, we still have time.”

  “We are out of time in my world.” They stared at each other in silence.

  The young prince then squared his shoulders and concentrated on forming a Gate Ring a few yards behind them.

  To Palyavek it was still not close enough and seemed like a desert mirage.

  Taihven straightened and said, “But, I am going alone. Do not follow me; you are still recovering. This must work!”

  He then bolted down the grassy hilltop. The Duradramyn himself took his cue, mounted the Lashkair in a swift motion and waited as per the plan.

  It was not until Taihven stepped into the dusty campground of the lizard-kin did the tiny reptiles notice his intrusion. Like a virus, one by one they stopped and stood in shock at his sudden appearance.

  “I AM THE WANDERING WOLF!!” he roared in fury at them. He thrust both hands out in front of him, inscribing the sigils to cast streams of Fire Bolts. The bolts trailed up into the air and lanced across the ground to the grass huts.

  Some of the Eulocths fled in terror, some raced at him with anger and hatred scratched into their faces, while others grabbed their young and huddled together.

  Taihven backed up and let loosed a modified sigil of forked bolts of lightning. As the twin arches struck multiple targets in the charging mob, he then spun and ran as Palyavek galloped towards him.

  The prince leaped high into the air as Palyavek caught him in his arms. Taihven twisted to sit behind him in the saddle. The Lashkair dug into the soft earth and clawed its path into a sharp U-turn. The ground thrummed with the pounding of hundreds of feet. The mass of Eulocths bounded after the pair.

  ***

  Over the cries of battle, from one of the standing guard towers, a Wyvernguard called down to them. “Prince Taihven has just been spotted. He is behind the Viestrahl lines and he has brought green devils with him!”

  Devin shoved the map into one soldier’s hands and rushed after Captain Ruessard and Princess Letandra as they made for the stairs to the castle wall catwalks.

  First to the top of the stairs, Letandra snatched a spyglass from the hands of the tower guard. Her breath caught in her throat as she spied her little brother. He was mounted atop an amazing wolf-beast behind a tan-skinned man. Streaming in from one of Taihven’s Gate Rings behind them, hundreds of forest-green lizard creatures gave chase. They were screeching wildly and armed with stone javelins or tiny bows and arrows.

  Confused and caught offguard, the Viestrahl spun around and watched as Taihven and the raging army of lizards bullrushed in behind them.

  The two groups closed in fast to trap Taihven in a mammoth wave of violent death. Just as the black beasts swarmed Taihven’s position, he levitated both him and the wolf up into the sky toward another Gate Ring.

  In two heartbeats, the prince, the tan man and wolf appeared untouched in the castle courtyard.

  On the battlegrounds in front of Adventdawn, the roars and growls of the clashing Viestrahl and Eulocths was deafening. The beasts ripped each other apart and washed themselves in each other’s blood.

  PART XII — FIGHT FOR FAMILY:

  Foremorn of Shaladar 3rd~~

  #1

  Letandra sprinted across the castle courtyard to a cluster of Wyvernguard surrounding Captain Ruessard and Sergeant Devin. Near to their circle, Taihven leaned up against one of the catwalk support legs. Four other men adorned with black banded armor followed close behind her. Captain Ruessard was pointing at two points on a map held by Sergeant Devin while the three other soldiers stood alert and ready to report to their posts.

  “Each of the Horde fronts have a member of the Konn-Cabal. Even though they are spread out all around us, they have some method of working together and—” Ruessard started explaining.

  As she rushed up, she interrupted their debate, “—We need to break up their chains of communication!”

  “I was just explaining that.” He snapped. “They have us completely surrounded, one wall down and another is already leaning.”

  “I know this, but I have an idea. We can get in behind the lines and right next to the leaders with Taihven’s powers. If we hit them fast and stop them, we can throw them into major chaos.” Letandra asserted.

  She pointed over her shoulder at the banded group, “We need to get two or three groups like these rangers who can strike all at the same time. If we do not hit them together, they will warn each other and we will lose our advantage. Auste must have given Ramnethas something to keep them connected.”

  “Speaking of which,” Devin jumped in, “no one has seen or heard either Ramnethas or Auste. Our reports have only the Konn-Cabal members being in charge and giving out commands.”

  “If Taihven can open a portal at these three points,” Letandra said as she poked at Sergeant Devin’s detailed map with her finger, “we can cripple the Konn-Cabal leadership ring.”

  She raised her gaze from the map to see if her brother was listening to her. He was not; he coughed into his hand and his eyes were squeezed shut. His pale face was beaded heavy with sweat. The trek to the other world and his race back had extended him beyond his limits.

  His stunt though, proved to be a great distraction as the Wyvernguard retrieved the wounded and retreated into the protective walls of Steppe One. Much was riding upon his shoulders even though he had not fully recovered from his injuries upon his return to Wyvernshield. The Artadeus Throne had never needed the young prince as much as now.

  Letandra walked across and hugged him. “I do not like the way you look, little brother. Can you do this?” She hated to put the screws to him, but he was their best option.

  His voice wavered, his eyes still closed. “I have never tried to open three gates at the same time. I am not sure it is possible even with tapping into the Eyes of Cinnelel. Perhaps, I can get Akuem to send Proa—”

  Screams and men’s cries filled the air as the Eastern Moat Gate fell in upon itself. The wood splintered and the rock walls cracked as if the Wyvernguard had slain a Rockclaw Giant.

  “These attacks on the Konn-Cabal members need to be fast and hard to keep the surprise.” She shouted over the chaos of the running reinforcements clashing with charging beasts.

  “I know, but should I fail, those men might be walking right into their graves!”

  “Right now, we all are standing next to our graves!”

  Taihven conceded the point and tried to steady himself against the tower leg.

  #2

  Captain Ruessard lowered his silver spyglass. His face beaming the first smile he had had in several weeks. “That is simply amazing,” he muttered to himself.

  Upon word from Princess Letandra, the three elite bands of rangers had raced through Taihven’s gate rings. In precision, they fell upon the Konn-cabal encampments and dispatched their bodyguards. Two of the leader beasts had been reported to have been executed in the hand-to-hand combats.

  The third campsite the captain had watched was still engaged in a heated battle. “I think that one was protecting the opening to those damn tunnels they were digging under the walls,” he pointed out to Sergeant Devin who stood next to him. He held out the tube for his survey.

  “I think it is too late. The Steppe Gates are listing badly from the boulder poundings. It will not be long before they come down too.” Devin speculated.

  A minute passed before he added, “It appears that the rangers cannot locate that last one. Bastard either used magic or maybe there was an escape exit in one of the tunnels?”

  “Sergeant, I know we have witne
ssed a lot lately, but there will never be a day that a Viestrahl will understand or even tolerate the presence of arcane magic. He is without a doubt under the ground.”

  The reprimand quieted the younger soldier. That is when Ruessard observed the prince laying on the ground in his sister’s arms. The boy was convulsing from head to toe. His eyes were clenched and his entire body was enveloped by a faint, emerald fog. In Taihven’s hands, he held a pair of crystals that glowed hot like cat eyes.

  “I am not sure how much more he can do for us.” Ruessard lamented.

  “We then better come up with some ideas of our own when he does drop.”

  ***

  “I need help,” Taihven uttered as he looked up at Letandra’s face. She only hushed him and continued to rock him in her arms as she did when he was a child. The Gate Rings had been successful and the three ranger squads had returned. Two of the leader Viestrahl had been killed and only one had escaped into the newly dug labyrinth of tunnels.

  “I am almost used up. And…” he coughed; foamy spittle with blood specks dribbled down his chin. He forged on, “The Viestrahl are far from done here.”

  “Get me two Menders!” she barked at a soldier standing near them. He darted off across the courtyards.

  “That is not the help I was thinking of.”

  She had no words to answer him.

  “I have to get back to Aberrisc.”

  “No,” she shook her head, “You need to relax. Let the Menders help you n—”