Matthew's eyes darted to the left and right. In a hushed tone, he asked, "Are we losing?"
"We made them pay in the first battle," William said. "But there were too many of them. Father is lost. We need you to ride."
Matthew swallowed back tears and nodded.
William lifted his brother back onto his horse. They rode on. Within two hours, Matthew cried out, "My legs are cramping! We gotta stop!" They stopped for dinner, and Matthew leaned back against a tree and passed out, breathing in short incredibly tiny breaths.
"It's going to be a long ride to Nork at this rate…" Simon said.
William snarled. "My brother is eight! We can only push him so hard."
"I was merely commenting on it. The boy will need less and less rest as we ride further, if we don't push him too hard."
They rode on until dark and made camp. They figured they had another day's ride to reach the first inn on the King's road. The troop had no choice but to camp under the stars. The young prince complained of the cold, and William and Simon both gave up their bedrolls for him. Their ranger's leathers kept them warm. The next day they stopped every hour, but they did make it to the inn. The innkeeper and patrons wanted news of the war. William told what they knew.
They started out early the next morning. The young prince lasted four hours before complaining of his legs, and they stopped. On the fifth day, they camped again. They had a fire burning. It was just after sunset, and no moon lit the night sky. The baying of a wolf pack howled from far away. They hardly noticed, for wolves didn't go near fires. It echoed again, closer, and it didn't sound right. It sounded garbled. A few moments later the howling rang through the trees, and no normal wolf pack made such noise.
"Juxta," William said. "Take Matthew and try and outrun them."
Juxta countered, "We should stick together."
"Don't make me explain why! Hurry and go! Follow the king's road."
"Aye, my liege."
Juxta grabbed Matthew by the armpits and lifted him onto the horse. He climbed up after. He lit up the night with his Amethyst staff and kicked the horse into a gallop.
William and Simon waited.
Simon nudged William in the ribs and whispered, "What's the real reason you sent Juxta away?"
"I was simply worried about my brother's safety."
William and Simon readied their bows. The first of the beasts entered the light. It had hollowed out eye sockets, matted fur, and a closed mouth, but on one side of its rotted face yellowed teeth glared through holes. One of its legs showed bone through more decayed flesh. Simon whispered, "Undead."
They let loose their arrows. Thunk, thunk into the abomination's breast. It simply spit out a low guttural growl. More of the deformed beasts stepped into the light. The one pierced by two arrows started to advance. William said, "Swords!"
They drew their enchanted blades. William pointed his sword at the lead one and shouted, "Shoc!" Lightning flashed at the beast. It twitched a bit but only growled louder. William and Simon waited with their backs to the fire. The lead wolf leapt at William, and two of the beasts jumped at Simon.
The prince aimed for the creature's head cleaving it like a melon, and the body dropped to the ground twitching. Simon plunged his blade through the mouth, throat, and spine of the one on his right. It collapsed in a heap of rotten flesh. The one on Simon's left bit into his forearm, but his ranger's leathers protected him from the teeth. He lifted the beast up and beheaded it. More wolves showed themselves. Three of them pounced on the prince.
One the prince caught in the shoulder and cut off one of its legs. It sprawled on the ground incapacitated. The other one attached itself to the prince's left forearm, and one to his right leg. Before Simon could help, another one attacked him, biting viciously into his left hand. Simon growled and dispatched it. Another one leapt on William trying to bite his throat. The prince thrust his sword into the third one's chest and wrenched it upwards ultimately finding its spine. The two still attached to the prince were trying to gnaw through his armor.
Two more beasts leapt on William, and he toppled to the ground. Simon started hacking his way to William who barely held back three of them. The one on his leg pulled down his leather breeches exposing a good section of skin for the other wolves to bite at. Simon killed another one and then got to the prince. In one fell swoop, he beheaded two of the beasts. The prince chopped off the head of the one on his left arm.
Simon dispatched the one pulling the prince's armor away. One jumped on Simon from behind, and he fell. Simon rolled over in time to be bitten on the neck by the beast. It hurt, and blood flowed. Simon pierced the beast through the skull. With three of them left, they circled Simon and William, neither of which had been able to stand yet. The prince jumped to his feet. He lunged for the nearest hell hound aiming his sword right at the center of its eyes, and it fell like a stone when the blade pierced its brain.
Simon climbed to his feet, and the two remaining opponents charged William. Simon intercepted one, cutting off both its front legs. The prince dispatched the last one with another stab into the brain cavity.
Simon busied himself trying to stop the bleeding at his neck. William tore a shirt up for bandages and dressed the wound. Simon said, "They seemed more interested in you, but I must have tasted better."
William said, "We should bandage your hand too."
"My hand is fine. It wasn't very deep."
"Look at it in the light…"
Simon looked… Tiny black tendrils extended out from the bite. "Damn."
"Come on, there's a creek. Let's wash out both wounds."
Simon went to the creek and washed up. "What now?"
"We wait, at least until morning," William said. "We can't chase after Juxta in this moonless night."
*
Juxta and Matthew rode like the wind. They pushed the horse hard and stopped after an hour. Juxta used Hebron's orb and scryed on William and Simon. He saw the battle scene, with the dead. Juxta turned the horse around and kicked it into another gallop.
On Juxta's arrival, William said, "Simon is poisoned!"
Juxta dismounted. "Let me see the wounds."
He carefully removed the bandages. The black tendrils were longer and thicker. Simon sweated badly and shivers ran through his arms and legs. His eyes were only half open.
"If I had some fresh Cecil's Root," Juxta said, "I could smash it and leech some of the poison out. I could either start looking for some or lend him some of my strength. It will tire me severely."
Matthew asked, "Is Simon going to die?"
William shook his head.
Juxta thought for a moment. "I'll try and lend him strength, and then look for the Cecil's Root. I'll have to lend him strength every few hours until his body rejects the poison."
William said, "Do it."
Juxta started a simple Druidic chant to lend strength. It didn't use much magical energy, but it pulled directly from his physical being. It put Simon into a peaceful slumber. Juxta proceeded to scry for the right root. He found a patch of it just after midnight. He dug it up with his dagger and took it back to camp. "We have to re-open the wounds and press the crushed root into the wound until the root is blood red."
Juxta cut into the flesh around the bite holes and pressed the root into the wounds. Slowly the root sucked up both blood and venom. Once the roots started to drip, they put fresh bandages on the wounds. Juxta used the Druidic chant to share strength again. Then he curled up in a ball next to the fire and instantly drifted off to sleep.
Simon woke first in the morning. He had a bad headache but felt well, all things considered. After letting Juxta sleep well past sunrise, William and Simon started taking turns nudging him until he stirred awake. They decided to go ahead and ride, and at midday, they reached a small town with an inn. The troop was just in time for lunch and decided to lodge there.
Starting out early the next morning, Matthew lasted until almost noon before complaining of his legs. Af
ter another week they almost made it to the Nork capital. Matthew's legs started to strengthen, and they started making better time. They reached the Nork capital and riders met them on their way into the city.
King Henry welcomed them and promised to treat Prince Matthew as one of the family. Henry expressed his desire to help lift the siege, but he didn't think Nork's army was strong enough alone. The nation of Weslan would have to help. They stayed the night and prepared to leave for Weslan in the morning when Teresa came running up carrying a backpack. She shouted, "I'm going with you!"
Juxta, Simon, and William looked at each other.
"No offense," Simon said with a slight frown, "but we'll be trying to make up for lost time. You would impede us."
Teresa said, "I can keep up. I won't be a burden."
Simon pointed at her heart with his index finger. "You can't keep up with two rangers."
Teresa pointed at Juxta. "I only have to keep up with two rangers and a magi."
Simon's shoulders slumped down, and he turned his gaze away from her.
"The journey is perilous," William said. "Why do you want to come?"
"I'm tired of growing old holed up in a castle!" Teresa exclaimed. "I can help along the way. I can cook, and I know more diplomacy than the lot of you!"
Juxta said, "Your place is with Princess Rubie."
"She agreed to release me from service." Teresa grabbed William by the lapel. "Please? It was hard on me knowing my three favorite men were at war so far away."
William rubbed at his chin for a few moments and then grinned. "If you join us on this journey, after we lift the siege, you'll choose one of us and marry him."
Teresa paused and looked at her feet for a moment. "After we lift the siege, I'll choose."
"Let's ride," Simon said. "We're wasting time."
Chapter 16
The ogre high command delivered Rivek's body, King William, and his great sword to Balron's mausoleum. They made their way to the lowest level, and Balron rose up from the bone pile in the corner of the chamber. Balron lit an unholy black and red fire over a dais. "Chain the king to the wall. Give me my sword."
The ogre chieftain carrying the great sword knelt before Balron extending the sword hilt first. "It's yours, my liege."
He hefted the blade with his bone hands, and the runes on the sword sparkled with golden light. Balron turned to King William. "For a thousand years, you've kept this blade from me. I'll get the crown, too. With it, I'll finish what I started over an eon ago."
"Fiend!" King William said. "Let yourself die unless you're afraid of the hell that is your destiny!"
Balron started this cackling kind of laugh where fire from his burning heart traveled through his chest and sparks flew out of his mouth. "I've crossed the gates before. Death has no hold on me and never will."
King William pulled against the chains holding him. "Die Balron! You're an abomination."
Balron said, "Silence," as a word of power, and King William could not speak.
Balron used telepathy to contact his six most powerful necromancers in the city.
Within the hour all six Necromancers joined Balron in his chamber. The volunteer they brought seemed confused. They chained him down tightly to a rectangular, carved stone alter. Balron grinned. "Give him the poison."
"What?" The volunteer cried.
A necromancer pulled a needle out of his wristband and pierced the neck of the man. The poison acted quickly causing paralysis and complete numbness to pain. The six necromancers pulled curved knives from their belts and started to chant. Balron started a different chant causing the points of the knives to glow with heat. One necromancer cut into the man, opening his stomach from sternum to groin. The other five necromancers cauterized blood vessels as they bled. They started to remove the man's internal organs. They had done this before every time they entombed a corpse for mummification. They didn't stop enough of the bleeding in time, and the subject expired. Balron said, "Idiots. Get another volunteer, a healthier one. If you fail me again, one of you can volunteer."
They left the temple in search of a healthier subject. Necromancers can be very persuasive. They found a young blacksmith and coaxed him into going with them to the mausoleum. After all, it served Tercia and the gods of the underworld. This time they administered the poison before reaching the lowest level of the temple, so the smith didn't have to see the mess they made of the first volunteer. Balron cast the corpse of the first man from the altar, and they chained the smith down. They chanted again, their knives grew red hot, and they opened up the smith trying to quickly cauterize blood vessels. Each of the necromancers grabbed up separate organs and fished them out of the smith's gut. They removed all but the lungs and heart. Using hooked needles and narrow strips of leather, they sewed the stomach closed.
"Give him the antidote," Balron said.
One of the necromancers pierced the man's neck with a needle. It took a few minutes to take effect. The smith's eyes opened, and he started to scream at the top of his lungs. Tears came out of his eyes and rolled down the sides of his face. He thrashed in futility, for the chains were too tight.
Balron held his great sword over the thrashing smith and started an incantation. Balron wasn't sure if it would work, yet he applied what he thought of as a sound theory to the process. He poured power into the chant, and tendrils of white smoke started to bleed from his bare bones along the blade of the great sword into the stomach of the smith. Balron pushed his essence into the body of the smith essentially pushing the will of the smith into a kind of bottle. The smith resisted for a moment, but the pain in his body blinded him too badly to fight for control. Finally, Balron won and took over the half-dead body. Balron felt no pain. The smith still lived although caged. The smith could see, hear, smell, touch, and feel, but could do nothing. The smith knew great pain.
Balron, through the smith's body, said, "Unchain me!"
The necromancers quickly did as they were bid.
Balron looked at his new form. He poked himself in the belly and laughed. He looked at his necromancer cohorts. "We'll build a mausoleum out of timber. Collect the dead from the battle with Lynken. We'll make burial mounds surrounding the mausoleum, and it'll be an eternal home for Rivek."
Chapter 17
As they rode out of Nork's castle, Prince William said, in a tone no different than he might ask for someone to pass the salt, "We'll cut through the Weslan Forest. It'll shave weeks off our journey."
Simon reined his horse to a halt. "The Dread Weslan Forest?"
The other riders followed suit stopping their horses.
"Where none have passed through in all recorded history?" Juxta said.
"We won't be stopped by myths or legends!" William said. "When was the last time anyone tried to pass through the forest?"
Teresa said, "You're joking, right?"
William's face turned hard as stone. "We ride for the forest."
So they steered their horses southwest, with no road to follow. Within two days a simple green line was painted across the horizon above a line of brown. The trees looked like midget trees at such a great distance. By midday of the next day they stood at the base of giant redwoods.
William said, "Are they enchanted?"
Juxta chanted ‘true sight' for a moment. "The trees are normal trees. Although I don't think this kind is found outside this forest."
The prince spurred his horse onward leading the way into the massive grove.
Teresa leaned over to Simon and whispered, "I can't believe we're taking this route."
Simon whispered, "Me either."
The density of leaves and branches above them made it almost dark. Once the sun started to set, it became like night earlier than usual. They foraged for deadwood to make a fire. Simon almost shot an arrow at a deer. William said, "See, if deer can live here, there's no reason for us to be afraid."
Teresa said, "If you say so, your highness."
The sunrise seemed late like th
e sunset seemed early. Still, they broke camp and rode on. Simon shot a wild boar, which they ate for lunch and dinner. The next day passed uneventfully. They sat around a fire when the sounds of the forest seemed to quiet down. The crackling of the fire was the only sound. They noticed a weird light coming from above, twelve lights, to be specific. Flying creatures, with humanoid shaped female bodies and wings, descended on them.
One spoke in a singsong voice, "What are you doing in our forest?"
"I'm heir to the throne of Lynken," William said. "We merely seek safe passage."
Another of the flying creatures said, "That comes at a price."
We should eat/kill them!
Test them, see if one is pure.
The odds are slim…
"You don't need to use telepathy," Juxta said. "I can hear it. They're thinking of killing and eating us. That or testing us to see if one is pure, whatever that means."
"We're the Tree Nymphs of this forest," one Tree Nymph said. "We rule here. You can only pay the price for safe passage if one of you is of pure blood, heart, and spirit."
Another Tree Nymph fluttered her wings and spoke, "If one is pure, we require he procreates with us. There are no males of our species, and this is the only way we can replace our numbers."
They sang a sweet song to test the prince. Too much royalty in his blood.
Juxta said, "They don't like you, William."
They directed their singsong at Juxta. Don't finish the test. He's useless to us.
Juxta's eyebrows raised into his forehead. "Why am I useless to you?"
You don't know the power you wield?
"I'm an apprentice magi, yes."
You're far more than that. Someday you'll learn.
They looked upon Simon and sang their beautiful singsong. Some of them started to weep. His heart is pure, his blood is pure, and his spirit is pure. "You must trade with us. We'll guide you fast and true through the forest, but Simon must spend his nights with us."
Simon looked around at the others. Teresa stared down at the ground. Juxta said, "I don't know if we can trust them."
Juxta, Magi Page 12
