It was hard work, but eventually they found their way to the beast’s gargantuan heart. It smelled foul, and his flesh was tough. Once the heart was exposed, they took turns in cutting, eventually breaking into it. As they did, deep ruby red, egg shaped stones were uncovered. They were smooth and warm to the touch. A slight glow seemed to emanate from the centres. Saul placed each one carefully into his satchel as they were recovered. Soon the warriors were ready to leave, weapons and heart stones gathered. As they climbed the slope Korhan sighed, “Silus... We should give him a proper burial, what’s left of him at least...”
So Korhan took upon himself the gruesome task of carrying the lower half of Silus Mendelson’s torso and his legs.
When they emerged Korhan lay the remains of Silus down and staggered tiredly to Vashni, along with Saul, Brael and Votrex. Vashni looked up at Saul, “Let me see one of these ‘heart stones’ wizard.”
“The Empress would not -”
“I have risked my long and valuable life for these artefacts, let me see.”
Sighing Saul removed one from his satchel and slumped onto the ground next to her, handing it over as he sat. She took it and eyed the stone critically. There was a hint of a glow from the centre, the stone was blood red in colour and it felt like it emitted heat, it felt almost alive.
She gazed into the heart of the stone... A soft, but powerful light glowed deep inside the crimson egg. Vashni stared for a few moments, pondering it, then she looked up, “I do not know what they do... But these are powerful... VERY powerful...”
To be continued in:-
‘Deathsworn Arc 2 : The Verkreath Horror’
Korhan son of Brian, Vashni, Votrex Vaughn Gorthok of Durgheim Holt, Brael Truthseeker of House Krazic and Saul Karza, emissary of the Empress will return in Deathsworn Arc 2 : The Verkreath Horror’.
In ‘The Verkreath Horror’ the survivors of the battle against Thrax, attempt to catch up with Callen. They have a run in with the ‘Servant of the Flame’ which forces them to take an unplanned route back to Cormaroth. On the way, Brael manages to finally remove his curse, but any thoughts Empress Jade and the Heart stones are soon forgotten as the companions witness unspeakable horror and find themselves fighting for their lives and fleeing another foe, even more despicable than the Servant of the Flame.
Free Sample Excerpt from Deathsworn Arc 2 : The Verkreath Horror
Chapter 5 : The Challenge of Ramon Hern
Vashni and Korhan were sleeping peacefully. They had been for some time, Votrex, Saul and Brael being deep underground following the ancient tunnels of the warren. The rain eventually died down, as did the once roaring fire in the hearth. Vashni was eventually awoken by the door being violently opened and boots thundering up the steps, she quickly whispered in Korhan’s ear, “Mil§irna sharam fo§ Ri§ine...”
Upon hearing the words Korhan was dragged violently from his deep slumber to full alertness, he intended to ask Vashni why she’d awoken him, but soldiers stormed into the room with their swords drawn. Vashni glared at them, “What is the meaning of this intrusion!?”
As she finished speaking Kyla stepped into the room, her hood fallen about her shoulders, “I am sorry to disturb you, but there has been a development.”
Korhan pushed himself up onto one elbow, “What kind of development?”
“The servant of the flame it seems is aware that you are here, and aware that you have slain their dragon. The city gates have long since been closed, but their leader, is at the gate, with thousands, thousands of followers, demanding to speak to you - or he will burn our city to the ground.”
Vashni almost leapt off the bed, “Can you not defend the city against this rabble?”
“Ordinarily yes, but most of my soldiers are dead, ill or grieving. I wish it was not so, but I must demand that you speak to him.”
Korhan swung his legs off the bed and picked up harbinger, strapping it to his back. Vashni donned her cloak and gestured toward the stairs, “Very well acting Berger, we shall speak to Ramon Hern - lead the way.”
Kyla sighed, “I am sorry, but I see no choice. There is a balcony above the west gate, you can see what he has to say from a safe distance.”
With that Kyla span on her heel and started walking, her troops waited for Vashni and Korhan though. Vashni flashed Korhan a knowing look of concern before striding after the Berger’s daughter. As they left the room the embers of the fire were dying down, the soldiers fell in behind them. It occurred to Korhan at this point how comfortable their brief accommodation had been and the thought made him long to stay there, to curl up on the bed again and drift off back to sleep. It was clearly the middle of the night, as they exited onto the street they looked up to see the stars shining brightly. Rather than lead them through the narrow, plague cursed streets, Kyla led them to a small doorway, set into the thick town walls at the back of the citadel. It was a small thing to be thankful for. To Korhan it felt like they were being escorted to their own execution somehow. He had a bad feeling about this encounter.
As they trudged up the stairway embedded in the wall Kyla turned to Korhan and almost whispered, “Where are your companions?”< Vashni heard and cut in before Korhan could answer, “We know not, perhaps they felt like catching some night air or wished to find an ale house or gambling den?”
Kyla sighed, “I do not know what this Ramon Hern wants, but I suggest seeing as they are not here, you do not mention them unless you have to. I cannot offer you protection from the servant at the cost of my town, but if you can appease him without him learning about your comrades - then I suggest you do.”
Korhan and Vashni considered this, it was true - nobody had to know about Votrex, Saul and Brael. The last member of the servant to see them was Ellen, for all she knew the only surviving members of the encounter could well be Korhan and Vashni. Their belief in Thrax’s powers would probably substantiate this.
As they emerged onto the battlements of the town wall they felt the wind whipping about them. It was sheltered in the town, behind the high, heavy-set stone walls, but up here there was no protection from the elements.
Kyla led the way, eventually leading them around the wall to the west gate. As they trudged behind her, they couldn’t help but glance down at the den of misery Strak had become, family, homes riddled with plague, the inhabitants terrified for their lives, now with a fanatical cult at their gates - for the town of Strak, things simply couldn’t get worse. A tall tower with a doorway and spiral staircase stood above both sides of the gate. Without pausing Kyla led them down the spiral staircase, to a balcony built into the thick walls, between the two towers and above the main gate. When they emerged they gasped at the sight that they beheld. Kyla’s estimate of ‘thousands’ had seemed pessimistic, most people of Torea would throw around big numbers with little understanding of their meaning - simply to say ‘a great many’. In this case however Kyla’s idly cast estimate of the servant of the flame was not so unrealistic. There may not have been thousands, but there were certainly hundreds. Hundreds of torch bearing, pitchfork wielding citizens, stretching into the distance.
At the head of the mass stood a man in black armour, it looked a little like plate mail armour, but with a more organic design to it. The armour looked familiar, as Korhan studied it he realised where he’s seen it - it looked remarkably like dragon scales, he whispered to Vashni, “His armour - it’s dra-”
“I know Ri§ine, look..”
He traced her finger to where she was pointing, there near the head of the mass was Ellen, looking quite triumphant, almost smug. Next to her, two burly looking thugs were holding Callen firmly, while a third held a long, curved dagger at his throat, the tip gently resting on his adams apple. It explained immediately what had happened to Callen, clearly he’d been intercepted by the servant of the flame before he could reach Strak, Ellen had been freed and they’d hurried to Thrax’s lair in order to stop them attacking the beast. Only the fact that the battle had been over relatively s
wiftly, had they been able to escape.
The black armoured man, his face hidden behind a dragonscale helmet stepped forwards, shouting in an almost mocking voice, “Ho dragonslayers! I demand the honour of crossing swords with you!”
Korhan stepped forwards, about to answer the challenge, when Vashni rested a hand on shoulder, “Beware Ri§ine, powerful wards and magics are woven around him. Thrax or another powerful mage has augmented him significantly, I do not wish for either of us to duel this man at this time.”
The man stepped closer still, brandishing his sword, “My name is Ramon Hern, and I am Thrax’s Dagon, or high priest... Would you not allow me the honour of dying, seeking vengeance for the death of our prophet?”
Korhan turned suddenly to Vashni, “Prophet?”
“I thought as you Ri§ine, that they deemed ‘Thrax’ their god... Whatever he speaks of, is new to me as well.”
The figure chuckled, still walking closer, “Yes! Prophet! Not god, the true master of the skies, flame and creation itself, is still awaiting for the preparation of his arrival. Your slaying of his prophet is an inconvenience, no more, no less... Where are the rest of your number?”
Korhan shouted, “Dead, eaten or killed by Thrax!”
“Ahh... A Noble end, for a warrior, Ishar would sing their praises I’m sure. Surely a death at the hands of a noble dragon guarantees their places at Ishar’s table in Kirkfell? Do you not wish, to join them?”
Korhan stepped forwards, Vashni dropped a hand on his shoulder, trying to hold him back but he shrugged her off and stepped right to the edge, “What do you want Dagon Hern?”
“Ah, and who is this that speaks?”
“Korhan Dragonslayer, son of Brian!”
“Ah, you dealt the killing blow to beloved Thrax, our lord and master? Then I would cross swords with you?”
Vashni chuckled, “Then I am free to go?”
“No, you are not... I challenge you to a duel, Korhan son of Brian. If you refuse I shall have Callen’s throat slit, then I shall have my followers lay siege to this town and burn it to the ground. If you accept and win, then you are all free, I have commanded my followers to disband and return to their lives should I fall in combat, as my death at your hand will discredit the greatness of the lord of sky and flame.”
“And if I lose?”
“The town of Strak shall still be saved, we will trouble it no longer... Callen’s will die of course... And your elf friend there, hmmm - she shall be thrown into the plague pit and left to rot. There are fresh bodies on the carts, so should you lose, she shall be buried alive with the rotting corpses, of the infected dead.”
Vashni visibly shuddered at this, she glared at Korhan, and spat at him, “Fool! Why did you have to tell him you dealt the killing blow?”
Korhan looked bewildered, “I-”
“If you had allowed ME, to take credit for Thrax’s death then I could duelled with him... You, are NOT ready... You will lose!”
Vashni then stepped forwards and called out, “He lies! I delivered the killing blow!”
“I do not believe you elf, I shall give you a count of ten to get down here - both of you, or be prepared to watch your young friend bleed to death, choking on his own blood and your pitiful, plague ridden town burned to the ground.”
Korhan sighed, exasperated, he felt out of options, he turned to Vashni, “Can’t you do something?”
“Hah! What exactly are you proposing I ‘do’ Ri§ine? I cannot ‘whisper away’ this mess.”
Ramon’s Herns voice called out. “One!”
Korhan turned to Kyla. “Can you defend the town?”
She shook her head, “I’m sorry barbarian, I cannot... I do not have enough troops, or enough food to withstand, a siege. Even if I could, what good what that do your friend?”
Ramon called out again, “Two!”
Vashni glared at Kyla and Korhan, “My life is worth more than an orphaned blacksmith’s son. Kyla, command your troops to defend the town!”
Korhan groaned, “He helped us! He knew his life would be endangered if he did - we can’t abandon him... And so many people will die if I refuse him, I only have to kill one man and I can prevent a river of bloodshed!”
Ramon called again, “Three!”
Vashni shook her head, “You cannot beat him, I cannot help you... Except perhaps by fortifying your mental defences with a whisper. Be aware though, to all watching it will appear to be a sword fight, but as he lashes out at you with his sword, he will also attack you with his mind.”
“Four!”
Korhan looked from Kyla to Vashni, then cast a glance over his shoulder at the sea of torches below them, “I have to try, there are too many lives at stake!”
Vashni snorted, “Hmmph, too many short, meaningless lives. I have lived for several thousand years, and intend to live for several more... This town, these people - they will all be dead within fifty to a hundred years whatever happens today.”
Korhan’s jaw dropped, he’d known she was old, but thousands of years? Was it true? Part of him felt disgusted that any person should be entitled to such a long life, while others withered and died after only a few decades, he felt jealous. At the same time he empathized with her point, “Vashni, I can take him. Trust me.”
“Five!”
Vashni rolled her eyes, “You had better Ri§ine, or I shall find your soul in Kirkfell, then drag you from the feasting hall of the dead and cast you into the abyss!”
Korhan turned and shouted, “You can stop counting Dagon, we’re coming down!”
Before Ramon Hern could answer Korhan, started down the stairs, followed by Vashni, Kyla and her troops. Climbing down the steep spiral staircase, Korhan began to feel the adrenaline build as it did before a fight. Vashni’s words had filled with a cold dread about fighting Ramon Hern, but at the same time he felt anger towards the Dagon, an anger which could fuel his skill, if tempered. As they neared the bottom Korhan fumbled in his tunic for the little vial of slipperin oil Saul had given him. Alas when he held it up, there was barely a drop in it. The staircase opened out onto the town interior side of the gate, as walked into the moonlit night Kyla gestured to her troops. “Open the main gate.”
Vashni at this point rested her hands on Korhan’s shoulders and whispered into his ear, “Open your mind to me Ri§ine, I wish to shore up your faulty mental defences.”
He nodded and she began her whisper, “§ira, alala roth, ro§, ini §ome, §arara §ithish al§a.”
She repeated the mantra several times, each time she did, he felt his mind closing in, and focusing. It went from feeling like the cloud of consciousness that most humans feel, to feeling like a steel sphere of focused, impenetrable, singular purpose. Her whisper died down and she sagged from the expenditure of energy. The gates were nearly open now, so Korhan tightened his belt, and adjusted his pauldrons. His armour was light, as was typical for barbarian warriors, consisting mainly of fur and leather. As a final preparation he altered his leather headband to hold his hair well back behind his ears, so it could not obscure his vision.
Kyla and her troops followed Korhan and Vashni out. Some troops stayed to man the doors. Ramon pointed to Vashni and beckoned two of his followers, “Bind her arms behind her back, bind her feet together, and gag her - Then position her at the edge of the pit.”
Two cultists approached with lengths of rope at the ready. Vashni allowed them to stand behind her and bind her arms, then feet. She resisted the temptation to whisper to them, or to initiate a mental attack, partly because of concern for Ramon Hern’s formidable abilities, if she extended her mind to attack, it could leave her own mind vulnerable and undefended. Partly she didn’t resist, because of Korhan’s confidence. He seemed, confident, rested, focused, she actually felt despite her initial feelings about this contest, Korhan could win.
The final insult for Vashni came as one of the thugs rolled up a thankfully clean rag into a ball, she opened her mouth to receive it and felt the cord cutti
ng into her cheeks and neck as it was tied tightly, forcing the gag to fill her mouth, making it hard to breath.
Content that Vashni couldn’t interfere Ramon pulled his blade from its scabbard on his back. It was a strange, black, almost organic looking blade with a hand and a half handle, a double curved edge, giving it a sinister, imposing appearance. If Korhan was fazed by it, he didn’t show it, drawing his own sword, ‘harbinger’ and adopting the ready position Vashni had taught him as part of the first sword form.
Vashni watched Korhan approaching the Dagon, he could do it... She felt her eyes inextricably drawn to the plague pit before her, a mass of pasty, white mangled limbs and hollow eyes. It smelled of death and the sound of flies buzzing about the corpses only added to the effect. She tried to avoid looking at the faces, their death grimaces staring lifelessly at her, as if in perpetual agony. There were men, women and children, thrown higgledy piggledy into the pit - Korhan could not fail, she dragged her eyes away from the pit, fighting the urge to look at Callen, who was being held some distance away. He looked terrified, his face was swollen and his lip was cut, he was shaking with fear. She still felt a pang of sympathy for Callen, an almost cold, logical, emotionally detached sympathy, but a sympathy nonetheless. She tested her bonds, she’d been tied tightly and securely, she could hardly breathe, let alone whisper. Korhan could win, but she had to be prepared for any eventuality, in her head she began silently reciting a series of whispers to herself, and continuing this mantra she cast her eyes to the fight.
When Vashni looked upon Korhan and Ramon, they were circling each other, if anything Korhan appeared to have a size advantage, clearly taller and more stockily built than the Dagon of the servant of the flame, Ramon Hern. Ramon’s armour though, cast doubts on Korhan’s advantage, if it was dragonscale as it looked, then it would be very difficult to penetrate.
Deathsworn Arc: 01 - The Last Dragon Slayer Page 19
