by Billy Wong
She finished her third opponent with a neck stab, and was promptly showered by a volley of spears. A familiar situation; having identified her as difficult in melee, her foes decided to bring her down from range. Once again she ducked behind her shield, and the only missile that came close to her body just grazed her leg. It stung while she charged the throwers, who quickly leveled new spears. Darting to one side, she dodged a thrust and sliced open one's flank. Two others jabbed at her, but she stepped in between their points before they could reach her. She swung left, then right, and blood jetted from the stumps of two severed necks.
Rose sliced a fourth thrower open from neck to groin. Another ran just as a loud, trumpeting moan filled the air. She looked to spot a creature like a lobster the size of a house dragging itself onto shore, the large frog-man on its back. A huge claw snatched up a valiant fisherman who tried to poke at its eye with a spear, and without effort snapped him in two. Rose dashed towards the monster, the scent of the man's rent innards making her stomach churn. She fought the nausea off, dodged a grab to chop deeply into the joint behind the lobster's claw.
"What are you doing?!" she yelled to the rider while its mount flailed at her, seeming not to feel the pain though one claw hung limp. "Why are you attacking?"
"You broke your promise! Already, you disturb the gods' home again!"
So somebody really was that stupid? Irritated, Rose slashed across one of the lobster's eyes. "What exactly did they do?"
Half-blind, the lobster went berserk, thrashing every which way. The frog-man on top did not answer, perhaps too busy trying to keep its seat. A wild blow from the disabled claw slammed into Rose and knocked her on her side. The other, good claw swooped down. She rolled away, barely avoiding the scissors of doom. As she stood, it reached for her again. This time she dove over it, came up, and plunged her sword through the lobster's forehead. It reared a bit, shuddered, and crashed down dead.
Rose glanced around to find the frogs in full flight. Walking up a claw atop the huge corpse, she grabbed the big frog-man and dragged it off. It was quite heavy, but she managed, being more than a little strong. Finn watched with admiration while she shoved it to the ground. "Now, answer before you join your friend."
"What the question?"
"I asked, what did the townspeople do to violate your holy place?"
"They use food on lines to draw up fish, and take them away."
Just plain fishing? She'd dismissed that as being what offended so once she heard these creatures had lived here since Kayla's time, and said disbelievingly, "But they've been doing that for decades, at the least! Why are you suddenly attacking them for it?"
"Decades? I told you, they only start few weeks ago!"
"That's impossible." Then she had an idea, and asked slowly, "How long ago did Kayla die?"
"Kayla die months ago. So gods come here and go to sleep. We sleep a bit too, but we wake now."
She stared at it. "You've been sleeping for eight centuries."
"No, that not possible. We not feel sleep so long."
They must have been held in a magical stasis, she realized. "It might not feel like it, but you did. You have to stop this fight. The people who depend on this lake didn't mean any harm, they didn't even know you or your gods existed. You should leave them be, considering it's all just a misunderstanding." Granted, the food supply might not be sufficient for both groups, but they could think about that later.
"But they disturb gods' rest."
"How do they disturb their rest?" She considered that the frog-men's belief of such might be based in unfounded worry, and not anything concrete.
"They... disrupt balance of the lake?"
"Can you see your gods waking up, or has there been no visible change?"
She didn't expect the answer she got. "They begin to move, but they not wake."
"Are you sure it's the fishing that's causing your gods to stir? I know you're anxious. But these folks don't hold you ill will"—at least, they wouldn't have until recently—"and need the fish to survive. You're your people's leader, right?"
"Yes."
"You must stop these attacks. This town was built while you were... away, so they've got just as much of a claim to this place."
"We not mean to go away."
Rose exhaled. These weren't particularly malicious beings, from what she'd seen, and she didn't want to kill any more. "Will you please listen to me? This is causing nothing but unnecessary death on both sides—and you can't win, not as long as me and Finn fight against you." Of course, they didn't plan to stay here forever. She just hoped the frog-man wouldn't think of that.
It was silent for a while. "You kill great protector, you strong warrior. We not fight for now, you help us help our gods?"
She wasn't sure if they could provide any useful aid, but replied, "Yes, we'll try. Where are they?"
"They at bottom of lake. You go see, check if they should wake or stay sleep?"
Going into the depths wouldn't be a problem, considering she had magic to deal with the breathing issue. But how in the world would she and Finn judge whether some inert giants were supposed to wake?
That was exactly the question Finn had for her after she explained to him, and Rose shrugged. "I don't know. But it can't hurt to take a look, right? I'm good enough now to cast a spell so we can breathe down there."
He indicated the carnage around them with a wave. "I don't know why you have to try and help these monsters. Look at all the people they killed."
She hung her head. "It's a shame, I agree. But just because they're not human, doesn't mean they're evil. They were confused." Even as she said it, though, she couldn't help being angry at the frog-men for the violence they'd brought to Culn. She didn't consider them evil, but she did feel contempt over them harming people so for the sake of their stupid religion. Their gods apparently weren't even gods at all, but only members of a giant race. She supposed that mistake might be more understandable if the giants turned out to be powerful mages too.
Finn shrugged. "So what do you expect if we do this, that the people and monsters will be able to live in harmony?"
"I don't know how much harmony is possible, but for the neighbors to at least not kill each other would be nice."
"Fine, let's go diving. It's too bad Derrick isn't here, since I bet he'd find wherever we're going nice."
#
"So this is your capital. It looks... nice," Prince Wilner said, looking from the balcony across the port of Prouw. His cold eyes showed no emotion, the angular face around them impassive as a glacier. "A good departure from the old cold place."
Prince Victor shrugged as he watched the man from his new throne. A fitting seat, considering the baron who sought to steal the crown that belonged to him had died just a few hundred yards away. Unfortunately, he'd lost his bid for Kayland anyway, and now his kingdom was ruled by the unworthy Lady Sierra of Palion. But with Clearsky in his hand making him strong, that would soon change. There was no more room for weakness in his mind.
Without looking at the dark-haired northern prince, he said, "Actually, it's rather cool compared to where I used to live. But I do like the change."
"Your son doesn't seem happy being here."
He remembered how Alfred had complained about leaving Jugeld behind. And like his son, Victor missed his home—its warmth, its sweeping tall-grassed plains, its sturdy border forts, and most importantly the friends he'd been forced to leave behind. He had failed to persuade everyone he cared about to join his side, and might even have to kill some of them in the coming fight. The thought made him ill.
Enough. It wouldn't do him any good to be weak inside. He'd promised Alfred he would be free to reside in Jugeld, or wherever else he wanted, once the war was over—because then, Victor would be king and his son poised to take his place. But he had to win first, or lose the land meant for him.
"No," he said in response to Wilner, "he isn't. But I'm certain he'll grow to see that I did what was
right for our line."
"So how goes your search for more allies?"
"They're almost here. Don't worry, we won't fail. I've invested too much of myself to do so."
Victor noticed the other prince's glance at Clearsky, and wondered what he was thinking. Wilner probably wouldn't mind being the trident's wielder himself, and might also feel Victor didn't deserve possession of the weapon. Well, it had pretty much fallen into his hands—but then, a smart man used whatever advantages fate gave him.
He heard a knock at the door, and said to his guards, "Let them in."
The portal swept open. Striding in with head held high came a tall, deeply tanned young man dressed in black and gold plate armor under a thick purple cape. His ruler-straight posture conveyed vast pride, and an arrogant smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Victor asked with a cocked eye.
"I am Prince Max."
Wilner, who had been looking over the sea all this time, turned slowly. "Interesting to have three unrelated princes in the same room when there isn't a party. What do you want?"
Max smiled, looking from prince to prince. "I believe you two are planning to conquer Kayland. I'd like to join you if that's the case."
"Where did you hear this? Victor, did you invite him here?"
"I'd hope that if I did, I would recognize him. Did you tell him about us?"
"I have never seen him before."
He returned his gaze to Max. "Well, rumors do fly. How sure are you that we plan what you say?"
"Sure enough to offer my aid."
Victor decided not to act hastily and run him through with Clearsky as he'd thought to. "What kind of aid?"
"My army, two thousand of the best warriors among my people."
A tempting offer. Two thousand troops wouldn't be a huge number considering the scale of the war to come, but they could use any help they could get. "Where is this army... more to the point, where do you come from?"
"I hail from Volston." After spending most of his life battling raiders from that southern land, this answer from Max put Victor on edge. But he seemed more cultured than most of his countrymen, at least from his dress and manner of speech.
Wilner frowned. "Volston, all the way on the other side of Kayland. So why would someone like you, a barbarian the likes of which my ally is accustomed to slaughtering, wish to join us in our fight?"
Max's answer shocked Victor. "After hearing about all your great victories, your power and prestige, I want to be just like you two. My name used to be Len, but I changed it to have a more evident meaning like yours. We can be called the Tri-Principality—what do you say?"
The room enjoyed a brief silence while the dumbfounded duo stared at their would-be accomplice. Victor didn't think of himself as evil, but knew many people might, and Prince Wilner's reputation was if anything worse than his own. For some prince they'd never met to come here begging to be their ally... "You're a certainly a special boy."
"So am I in?"
Victor looked at Wilner, who smiled. The ruler of Coblan said cheerily, "Alright, you can join us—once you bring your army here."
Max paused, and Victor figured he was getting second thoughts. But then he accepted the dare. "Yes, I'll do that. Thank you, and I won't disappoint."
The Volstonian strode giddily away, and Victor said, "That was an interesting choice of response."
"You think he'll make it?" Wilner asked in a casual tone.
"Of course he isn't going to make it trying to bring two thousand men across Kayland! He's going to be crushed before he gets halfway."
"Yes, probably. But he'll serve as a good distraction while we come from the other side."
Victor nodded, a grin breaking out on his face. "I like your plan. If by some chance he manages to make it, you're not actually planning to let him join us, are you?"
"Why not? He'll have proven his competence and resourcefulness."
"True... but as an equal partner?"
"Of course not. He's just one more pawn."
Victor returned Wilner's smile while Clearsky said in his mind, As are you, our northern friend. As are you. But for some reason, the words made Victor somehow uneasy.
Chapter 4
Finn watched Rose proudly while she chanted a spell to form a magical bubble around their heads, which would draw air into it from the water for them to breathe and also allow them to speak. "Down into the depths, huh?" he said as they stood up in the boat at the middle of the lake, where the frog-man had said the resting place of "gods" to be. "We'll be at a disadvantage if we have to fight there."
"I hope we don't, but won't be too afraid if we do. You'll be there to protect me."
He smiled. "Yeah, I wouldn't let any treacherous frogs hurt my light."
"You know, it's probably going to be damn cold down there... gods I hate the cold."
"Same old Rose."
She looked sidelong at him. "Hey, we are in Coblan, and farther north than any part of our nation."
"But it's spring."
"Whatever. Let's dive."
They plunged into the cool lake, and though magic allowed them to breathe, they felt normal pressure and resistance from the water. It grew dark as they steadily approached the bottom, but with another spell Rose brought a glow to the end of the spear Finn had borrowed. A massive doorway came into view, a match for that seen in the Valley of Ghosts though the attached structure was smaller. Despite the greater difficulty of opening the doors underwater, the mighty pair pushed them slightly ajar and squeezed inside.
The space behind the portal turned out far different from the one they'd found before. Instead of a sprawling building, it consisted of a single rectangular room extending over a hundred feet beyond the entrance. Its plain stone walls were lined on every side with great blocks of ice. Through their transparent surfaces could be seen the inert forms of humanoids, the larger of which stood between twenty-five and thirty feet.
Smaller figures rested in equally large ice blocks, who Rose took to be younger members of the race. But these were all surprisingly of similar size, about that of a tall man. She saw no specimens of a height between these apparent babies and the adult giants, and wondered how it was they got to their final size. Did they even grow bit by bit like most living things, or gain their full stature all at once at some point?
Finn swam before the block in which the largest and oldest-looking of the giants stood, and knocked lightly on it. Rose didn't expect any response, and didn't think he did either. But the giant's eyes popped open, and cracks spread through the ice around him as titanic muscles strained. The block broke apart and the pieces floated away. The giant stepped out, a confused look on his face.
Rose swam up before the massive-framed behemoth's face, figuring her speech would be less distorted if it had to travel through less water after leaving the bubble. His hair and beard were long and white, and skin pale. She thought he resembled a native of the northern lands, only magnified in size. Though the other giants varied in age and sex, they all shared his light complexion. "So you're the ones who helped Kayla?" she asked in Old Speech.
He hesitated, no doubt still disoriented, before saying, "Yes, we were her allies. Who are you, and how many years have passed since our old lives?"
"I'm Rose, and this is my husband Finn. You've been down here for about eight hundred years."
"Why did we awaken now?" He gazed distantly upward. "I feel... something calling to me."
"I have no idea. The frog-men said it was because of the fishermen disturbing your lake, but that can't be right, can it?" She couldn't imagine the giants sensing their activities from down here.
"No, I don't think it is. In my dreams, I heard the call of a familiar voice."
Though she was curious about who—or what—that could belong to, Rose kept her priorities in mind and said, "Can you tell the frog-men that? They've been waging war on innocent people out of this mistaken belief."
"Yes, we'll tell t
hem." The giant closed his eyes and let out a whooping shout, after which his sleeping fellows started to stir and wake. While Rose and Finn watched, the others broke free, the children being helped out last. Then the elder swam towards the door, the rest following close behind.
Inside her mind and yet seeming far away, Kayla's weak voice called out desperately as if exerting all its strength, No, stop them! Don't let them go!
She thought back at it, Why should I listen to you? You even said yourself you're evil.
No, I meant... the voice began, and trailed away.
Moving close to Finn, Rose said, "The dream voice just told me to stop the giants. As if even we could."
He looked after the score or so of giants swimming away. "Who knows. We've always done impossible things when we fight."
"Yeah, but I didn't even think to listen since it admitted to being evil in my dream. As for when we were talking about me being afraid of it taking me over, I guess I shouldn't be too scared. It sounded pretty weak in the real world just now."
Finn laughed. "Of course it was to you, my invincible light. So what did you talk to the giant about?"
"I asked him to tell the frog-men to back off, and he agreed. Culn's going to be okay."
"That was easy."
"I'm glad! I only needed one look at those things to know I didn't want to fight them."
"We've beaten bigger foes."
"Still, I don't need any more scars on my delicate frame. Let's go up. I hope none of the townsfolk attack the giants out of misplaced fear." Hearing her own words, she headed for the door with a bit of worry.
"Damn, good point." Leaving the empty chamber, the couple hurried towards the surface. Forgoing the slower though less tiring option of their fishing boat, they instead continued to swim towards shore. Though among the most powerful of human swimmers, they still could not match the strokes of the much longer-limbed giants, the younger ones clinging to the adults' backs. But luckily none of the people of Culn decided to attack, and Rose and Finn eventually reached the shore as the giants walked away through town.
