The Chronicles of Lumineia: Book 02 - The Gathering

by Ben Hale

  But he hated himself for it.

  For a long time he sat, his stomach clenching and his shoulders shaking. The pressure of his role bore down on him as never before, and every doubt he’d heard someone whisper assailed him.

  He’s just a boy.

  He’s can't even lift a sword.

  We are all going to die because of that fool.

  Maybe the Oracle was wrong . . .

  Chubby kid thinks he can command armies?

  This isn’t a game kid.

  Wave after wave of depression and doubt assailed him, and he allowed it to carve through him until there was nothing left. Then he wrenched his mind clear with a single word. Enough. Drawing strength from breathing, he cleared his mind of all doubt and rebuilt the defenses around his heart. Brick by brick, he replaced the barrier that would keep barbed comments out, and the tears slowed as the wall got higher. Clenching his eyes shut he kept breathing until the silent tears were gone, replaced by a renewed resolve to ensure the survival of his army, even those that didn’t believe in him.

  When he stood and left the room, no visible trace of his emotional breakdown remained. On the inside, the scar of ordering someone to die would remain forever. With what was to come, Braon doubted it would be the last of its kind. He just hoped his heart had enough space for all of them.

  Part IV

  Three days until Draeken’s army reaches Azertorn

  Chapter 31: Dark Tide

  Taryn crouched behind a tree, not daring to breathe as another mass of fiends passed by. After they had returned to the northern deserts, they had worked their way east, passing an unending tide of dark beings marching west. The only reason they made it to the mountain passes north of Griffin was due to Kell’s knowledge of the area—but every pass was clogged with fiends. To add to their difficulty, they had been forced to leave the horses behind after a fearful mount bolted, almost giving their position away.

  The usually mischievous and lighthearted Trin had become withdrawn and irritable. While Taryn had sought the white dragon, Siarra had used her magic to search for Trin's father. Extending her sight, she'd discovered that an army of humans was stationed in forts at the north end of Griffin—but the fiends had already begun their assault. Helpless, and miles away, Siarra was forced to watch the human army get smaller and smaller . . .

  By the time they had reached the griffin border, little remained of the citadels except broken battlements. As Taryn looked over at Trin’s expression, he wished he knew what to say. The lack of Trin's humor made their journey feel heavier somehow.

  The last rumble of the passing contingent quieted and Siarra whispered, “We have five minutes before the next group. Let’s move.”

  For the next several hours they worked their way through the light forest that blanketed the foothills north of the mountains. The stretch of peaks marked the northern border of Griffon, and the passes through them was the sole way to reach Draeken. By nightfall, they sat huddled on a ridge just east of the last pass. Throughout the night they took turns watching the opening, hoping to find a way in, but by morning it became obvious that there would be no break in Draeken's army.

  “We are running out of time,” Siarra said, her frustration rising. “In three days the army will reach Azertorn and the battle will begin.”

  “But there is no way for us to get to Xshaltheria in three days,” Trin protested, “even if we could get through the pass.”

  Taryn growled, “We have to get there. If the army reaches the city in three days, every soul in Lumineia will be dead in ten. We cannot allow that to happen. There has to be another way for us to get into the eastern kingdom.”

  “Is there another pass somewhere? Farther east perhaps?” Liri asked, looking at Trin.

  Trin jerked his head no, but then stopped and his head cocked to the side. “There might be a higher trail a few miles east of here," he said, his eyes staring into memory. "My father mentioned it once but said that it wasn’t large enough for more than a few to get through. From the way he described it, it sounded more like a game trail than a break in the peaks.”

  “Sounds worth checking into,” Kell said, his voice rumbling.

  Taryn nodded with everyone else and within minutes they were skirting the mountain range, looking for any sign of a trail. It came as no surprise to Taryn that before an hour had elapsed, Mae had spotted a path. The elf whistled to the others and pointed with her chin to a faint deer trail that wound into the trees.

  Turning onto it, they picked their way through thick brush and undergrowth. Although they spotted frequent signs of game, there appeared to be no trace of human or fiend passing. Taryn kept his eyes on the trail as the sun reached its zenith and began to descend, but his mind kept returning to Liri. During the past week she had been at his side constantly, and her presence had been a great boon to his spirits. In spite of their proximity to an army that hungered for their deaths, she appeared content and happy.

  Glancing back at the serene expression on his long-time friend, he found that a part of him shared in her happiness. As far back as he could remember he had always shared a closeness with her, but it wasn’t until they had kissed in the snow that he’d discovered the depth of his feelings towards her.

  He felt the urge to laugh and looked back at her, who caught his eye and gave him a crooked smile, causing him to grin. Facing forward again he stepped over a root while his smile faded. The hardest part about his emotions was the fact that most of his heart was occupied with a more oppressive sentiment . . . fear. It wasn’t anything he would admit to anyone, but his heart seized with a single question.

  How many are going die? The sinister thought echoed. After hearing the tale of Israke, it had stuck in his mind like a bad song. Every time he saw one of his friends eating—or smiling—or walking—or anything else—he found himself wondering if they were going to die because of him.

  The trees began to thin, forcing him to pay more attention, and as they approached the tree line they all took cover to view a rolling meadow. Rustling waves of grass mixed with splashes of color from flowers gave the impression of serenity in the wide field—except for the complete and utter lack of sound.

  “What do you think?” Trin whispered, not addressing anyone.

  After a moment, Siarra replied in an undertone, “Doesn’t feel right.”

  Several murmured agreements came from the others, including Mae. Taryn also found himself agreeing. Looking at the still meadow leading up to a thin gap in the peaks left him feeling unsettled. Something was out there, waiting.

  “Feels like battle,” Kell growled, and Taryn heard a trace of excitement in his voice.

  “I have an idea,” Jack murmured, and Taryn turned towards him. “Why don’t Taryn and I walk up the field? If something is there, we are the fastest and can lead them back to an ambush.”

  Siarra considered it for a moment, and then nodded her ascent, but Taryn thought he heard a rumble of irritation from the giant rock troll at being left out. Taryn shrugged and nodded at Jack. Gathering his courage, he walked into the light. For several tense minutes they worked their way across the meadow until they came to a tiny crevasse that split the stone. Tall and thin, the break would allow a single person to pass through to the other side of the mountain, and Taryn could see a column of light at the other end.

  Jack caught Taryn’s eye and shrugged. Taryn didn't see any sign of trouble either, but he couldn't shake the growing sense of foreboding. Even after the rest of the group arrived and they began filing through the corridor, Taryn refused to accept that nothing was amiss. In his gut he knew someone was nearby, and he didn’t want to be caught unaware. After a subtle glance at Liri, he slipped into the lead.

  Their quiet footfalls resonated in the tall corridor, and occasionally Taryn heard the scrape of Kell’s rough skin against the narrower walls, but the stubborn rock troll made no complaint. When Taryn approached the end, he slowed to get a better look as the path began to widen. With his
senses tingling, he reached the light and stepped out into a small clump of trees on the edge of a broad field—but Taryn’s eyes were drawn upward, where he saw a dark shadow rather than the afternoon sun. One by one the others gathered around him, all of them looking up at the sky as well. For as far as he could see south and east, a cloudlike darkness hovered, giving a gray tinge to everything in sight. Only to the west above the great lake did the sun shine.

  “What is it?” Trin asked.

  “It’s the effect of Draeken’s army,” Siarra said. “Everywhere their army resides, they will block the light of day.”

  “How is that possible?” Liri breathed.

  “You don’t want to know,” she whispered.

  Mae growled. “Darkness will never be stronger than light,” she said with uncharacteristic vehemence. Kell snarled his agreement.

  “No choice but forward,” Jack said, and flashed a ghost of a smile. “It’s up to us to pierce the dark with the light.”

  Siarra snorted, but her eyes carried a trace of softness. “A thief with a cause?”

  Jack shrugged but the smile didn’t fade. “Let’s go.”

  During their conversation, Taryn had eased his way through the small stand of trees until he could see the whole field. Although he’d felt uneasy on the other side of the gap, the tightening in his chest had increased tenfold on this side. Glancing back at his friends he saw that just Kell was still paying attention. Their eyes met and the large rock troll inclined his head, his eyes glittering in anticipation. Taryn thought he understood.

  They are here.

  “My friends,” Taryn said in a tone that drew all eyes to him, “ready yourselves for battle.”

  After a second’s pause, Siarra collected herself, seeming to draw energy from the very air. “I am sorry I didn’t notice it before,” she said. “Now that I am paying attention I can feel their presence.”

  “Fiends?” Mae asked.

  She nodded. “A full contingent of five hundred quare, along with a hundred sipers and two skorpians, all led by a kraka. They are in the trees across the field, but they don’t know we are here yet.” During the past weeks she had shared everything she knew about the enemies they would be facing, so she didn’t need to elaborate.

  “Any way to go around them?” Liri asked, but Siarra shook her head.

  “They are watching the open area. The minute we step out they will flood towards us." She paused, her eyes clouding with concern. "We will have to kill them all. If even one gets away, they will warn the whole army, and then our attempt to reach Draeken will be over before it begins.”

  Taryn slid his pack to the ground and eased his mother's weapon from its scabbard. “I’ll take the east flank,” he said, and Liri was quick to join him.

  “I’ll cover the west,” Kell growled, drawing his massive curved sword. Trin and Mae moved to stand next to him.

  “Then we will hold the center,” Siarra exclaimed, raising an eyebrow at Jack, who nodded in agreement. Seeing that everyone was ready, she added, “If anything happens to any of us, it’s been a pleasure knowing you, and anyone who survives knows what they have to do.”

  “Find Draeken, kill him,” Jack said, and she frowned at his easy tone.

  “We know Siarra,” Mae murmured. “We will do what is necessary.”

  Siarra let her breath out . . . and then strode into the field. Ten feet from the trees she stomped her foot, raising a block of earth twenty feet across. Twirling, she sent it careening across the field to shatter into the trees on the opposite side. Cries of pain and outrage rang out, bearing testament to her accuracy. Then the dark mass lunged from the trees, snarling and howling for blood. The faster sipers took the lead, their lean dog-like forms leveling out into top speed, but the quare were not far behind—all of them heading straight for Siarra.

  Taryn sprinted southwest with Liri at his side. On the other side of the stand, Kell, Trin, and Mae also streaked away, heading to attack the northern flank. Behind him he could hear Siarra sending magical attacks into the large group of fiends, but it was her taunts that goaded them to come after her.

  Taryn came to a halt a hundred yards away and turned to Liri. “Bows out?” He asked and she smiled at him.

  “Of course,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

  Taryn nodded, lifting his mother's sword. Morphing it into the magical bow, he sent a blistering barrage of arrows into the front dogs. Beside him, Liri added to the volley. One by one, the arrows sank into dark hounds, sending their lifeless forms tumbling to the ground, but others leaped over their bodies, their jaws snapping at the delay.

  In a rending of trees and snapping wood, two giant Skorpians exited the trees and came into view. Snapping their monster claws, they whipped their tails back and launched their black spears. In a blur, they streaked towards Jack and Siarra with an accurateness that stunned Taryn.

  Siarra reached out and her hand smacked the air downward. A half-mile in front of her, both of the black spears tipped to the ground and impaled a pair of unfortunate quare. Taryn felt a wave of relief and reminded himself of his sister’s skill. Turning back to the mass of fiends, he saw that nearly the entire contingent had come into view. Then a single hulking Kraka charged from the rear, bellowing in rage as it dragged a massive obsidian sword.

  In his gut Taryn knew that this was insane, taking on such a group of fiends by themselves, but if Siarra's prediction was true, they had to. Even as he sent magical arrows of green light towards the host of black forms, he dwelled on the outcome.

  Peeling away from the main group, several Quare and a few Sipers headed towards Taryn and Liri. The ground shook under Taryn’s feet from the paws pounding the earth, but he found peace stealing into his heart. Whatever the result, he was committed. This was what he'd trained his whole life for.

  He would not fail.

  A hundred feet closed to fifty, and then to twenty, and then Taryn blurred into motion. Leaping forward he twisted through the two lead sipers, striking both of them down. Before they’d struck the ground he’d slain another. In a deadly spin he whipped both of his swords out, striking flesh and cutting through bone so fast that corpses piled in his wake.

  Behind him, Liri caught the few stragglers that managed to get past his searching blades, and her own sword quickly drew blood. In moments the twenty or so that had come for them were dead, and Taryn began to run towards the pack even as another, larger mass broke off and headed his way.

  A wall of stone burst into his peripheral vision. Tumbling down the center of the army, it crushed into fiends until it cracked against the trees. Then a fireball began gathering above the thickest mass, held together by a cord of flame that led back to his sister. He glanced towards Siarra and saw her face furious, her hair billowing as she reached towards the fire with a clenched fist.

  At the same time he caught a glimpse of Kell on the opposite side. His sword mowed down fiends like wheat. Whirling at a quare behind him, he seized its throat and lifted it off the ground. Roaring into its face, the huge troll cast him into a knot of enemies, and then charged into them. Mae and Trin guarded his flanks, but kept a healthy distance as they fought.

  Taryn felt a surge of pride as he dodged a siper’s lunge, cutting into it as it flew past him. Its snarl turned to a wounded cry, but he'd already turned away. Sweeping his swords towards the next group facing him, he picked up his pace. Dogs and quare were so thick that he saw no opening in their line, so he leaped high. Coming down on one of the dogs, he smashed both his feet into it, crushing it to the earth. Before it could rise, Mazer’s tip found its neck.

  Quare and sipers alike jumped at him from all sides, but he bent low and leapt into a slow back flip. Sailing over the furious group, a flurry of strikes killed the closest three before he landed, and another two died as soon as his feet touched the ground. A massive explosion signaled that the fireball had dropped. Avoiding the inferno, he swept through the black horde like an avenging angel. Everything that came close di
ed under a blur of sharp blades.

  Angling back towards Liri, he came from behind to wipe out several that had gotten around him. Once she appeared safe he spun on his heel—and sidestepped a skorpian spear, its tip cutting into the sleeve of his tunic. Furious, he bounded through the black fiends, his blades leading the way.

  A trail of corpses behind him, he reached the offending skorpian. Even as it grew another spear Taryn jumped and twisted in midair to avoid a claw as big as a wheelbarrow. Landing on the hard back, he dodged a strike form the tail and swept his sword through it as it extended past him. Blood spurt as the severed tail fell away, and the giant beast flailed in pain and anger. Fighting to stay on its back, Taryn kept his seat long enough to plunge his swords through the shell.

  The flailing became frantic, and Taryn jumped so he wouldn’t be hit by the bleeding tail. Mortally wounded, the skorpian gave chase, stumbling and clawing his way forward, but Taryn was too quick. Ducking under a quare’s outstretched hands, he killed it with a high slash and then lunged to the side to avoid the charging skorpian. As it passed, a lightning blow sliced a pincer off. A gut-wrenching squeal of pain rang out as the skorpian crashed, but its strength was gone. Feeble and weak, it clawed its way through the dirt until a curving arrow from Liri struck it between the eyes and it collapsed.

  Thundering footsteps caused Taryn to spin on his heels. A thick mass of quare had charged him, attempting to crush him by sheer weight. Both his blades blurred as he cut the first row to ribbons. Then he bull rushed into the second line. Smashing into them with all of his strength and force, his shoulder crushed the chest of the first, and he smashed his forehead into the skull of another, knocking it flying. His long katsanas snapped out, reaching to slay all those left standing, and then seeking the ones struggling for breath. In moments the entire group lay still.