“Why would Grarlin do this?” Talon asked.
Ganasis shrugged.
“I would guess he wanted to gain some time.”
“Why would they want to gain time?” asked Talon.
“I don’t know but it looks like we have plenty of time to think about it.”
Two days passed with Ganasis and Talon stuck on the mountain and just as Ganasis had said the ants had stopped at the Talisman. Back in Zachania the rest of Arun’s army had arrived and the King was preparing them for the advance into Kratos. The King was also growing increasingly concerned about where Ganasis and Talon were, he called some soldiers and ordered them to take a search party into the valley but they returned after a couple of hours and informed the King that the valley was full of ants.
“ANTS!” replied the King.
“Yes sire as far as the eye can see.”
The King sat down and rubbed his head.
“Ants” he repeated totally lost for words or ideas.
“What are they doing?” he added.
“I do not know sire but have stopped just before our border, it’s; like there is an invisible barrier blocking them.”
The King sighed loudly totally lost for words and then he thought of Ganasis talking about the Talisman.
“Take me there!” he suddenly said.
When the King was led to them he could not believe his eyes at the vast sight before him
“Burn them!” he ordered.
“Sire but there are so many.” replied one of his soldiers.
“I don’t care just burn them, light the logs and roll them on top of them, I want them gone.”
“Yes sire.” the General replied before gasping at the enormity of the task.
The King gazed out onto the valley wondering what the damn was happening, then he repeated the order and left the valley to return back to his tent. When he returned General Kanyan was waiting for him.
“Sire I have just been told.” added the General looking stressed.
“I’ve ordered them burned.”
“Sire what is going on, this is wizardry.”
Arun shrugged.
“All I know Kanyan is Talon and Ganasis entered the valley three days ago, this morning I sent a party to search for them and they returned telling me about the ants.”
“Do you think Ganasis has something to do with this?”
The King thought for a moment.
“No! Why would Ganasis summon so many ants?”
“I do not know sire but wizards have their own reason and thinking.”
“No I can’t see this; Ganasis would not do this without telling me.”
“What must I do then sire.”
“I want you to organise the men to burn the ants, use the logs we were saving for the Empire but have some men replace them, and Kanyan I also want you to organise a search party of five hundred men to seek out and find Ganasis and Talon.”
When the King returned to where the ants were, there was already a strong gathering of soldiers trying to beat back the ants with large canvas sacks. They were slapping the sacks onto the ground and then using them to sweep away the ants. The King looked on frustrated and growing very concerned for Ganasis and Talon.
“Sire!” came a voice from behind the King who turned to see that it was a General whose name he could not remember.
“General Lagain Sir!” answered the General seeing that the King was having difficulty placing him.
General Lagain was the youngest General in the army, 38 years old, in fact he was the youngest soldier throughout the history of Zachania to be made a General at the age of 36, Lagain stood tall and slim with a muscular appearance, he also cut his hair very short which was unusual in Zachania as most men wore their hair long. It was well known in military circles of Lagain’s brilliance, his mind and tactical awareness was exceptional and it was commonly thought of that one day Lagain would be the most powerful soldier in the land.
“Argh Lagain” replied the King before turning back to the ants where a man was shouting because he was covered in them.
“HELP THAT MAN!” Arun shouted as Lagain walked next to him.
“Sire we are beating back the ants but may I make an suggestion.”
“Yes” replied the King without taking his eyes of the ants.
“Sire if we proceed this way it will take days, I suggest we fetch the logs and use them on the ants sire, burn them.”
The King’s attention was still focused on the ants and the man who was now being helped by his companions.
“Sire.” Lagain asked pressing for a reply.
“I have already sent orders for the logs General.”
“Very well sire, I will assist in your orders.” replied the General before excusing himself.
King Arun then suddenly remembered where he knew Lagain.
“LAGAIN!” the King shouted.
“Sire” replied the General stopping and quickly jogging back to the King.
“Lagain you used to be a General in Lord Heikan’s army, why are you dressed in my regalia.”
“Sire General Kanyan transferred me to your army, me and Heikan did not see eye to eye.”
“What do you mean eye to eye.” snapped Arun slightly angered.
“Sire May I speak frankly?”
“Get on with it Lagain.”
“Well sire Lord Heikan is a fool.”
The King suddenly span round so he faced the General.
“How dare you insult one of the Lords of the great houses and how dare you insult him to me! Take heed Lagain if Kanyan vouches for you then I am sure your qualities as a soldier are unquestioned but your qualities as a man do not impress me, I don’t care how you acted under Lord Heikan but in my army such behaviour will not be tolerated, you’re a General, act like one.”
Lagain bowed his head.
“Yes sire, my apologies sire, I did not mean to offend and may I iterate that my loyalty to you is absolute, as was my loyalty to Lord Heikan when I served him, my personal regard for the Lord never interfered with my duties.”
The King was still feeling short tempered as the ants and the missing Ganasis and Talon and now this General’s impertinence was taking its toll.
“Lagain do you think the King is a fool as well.”
“No sire.”
Arun shook his head tired now of him.
“See to your duties and remember what I said.”
The General turned and walked away with an air of arrogance as if the conversation did not even take place, King Arun turned and laughed to himself thinking of the General calling Heikan a fool ‘ I suppose you can be a fool at times’ he said under his breath.
The King’s attention was then drawn to the sound of soldiers advancing with the burning logs, soon the logs were being pushed onto the ants with long sticks and it didn’t take long for the King to see that the plan was working as the ants burned in their thousands.
The past two days had been very tiresome and frustrating for Ganasis and Talon still trapped on the cliffs of Death Valley. Other than just sit there they had been trying to make their way back to Zachania across the mountain ledges high above the valley but their progress had been slow and exhausting.
“That’s it then!” Talon sighed as they found themselves looking at a three hundred foot crevice and no way around it except the valley below.
“We could fly.” Ganasis added smiling trying to lighten the mood.
“Damn it Ganasis! We can’t stay on this mountain forever; I am starving and now out of water.”
“There is water back there.” replied Ganasis pointing out a spring waterfall they had passed earlier in the day.
“Back there! But I want to go there Ganasis” Talon snapped pointing to Zachania “it has just taken me half a day to get here and you want me to go back!” he added before picking a rock up and throwing it down into the valley onto the ants.
“Ganasis I am not staying on this mountain one more night! Surely
there is something you can try.”
“Talon how many times can I tell you I have nothing with me, I cannot conjure a spell nowhere near the power unless I have artefacts.”
Talon sighed in anger as he leaned back against the rocks, he then thought of the Talisman and how Ganasis told him that its magic came from the hair of Apollo so Talon pulled out his knife and cut some of his own hair off.
“Here Ganasis, use this for your magic.”
Ganasis smiled.
“It won’t work Talon.”
“Damn it Ganasis try! You used Apollo’s hair to make the Talisman, if I am what you say blessed by him then maybe just maybe this will work.”
Ganasis held out his hand and took the piece of Talons hair.
“It won’t work Talon.” the old wizard added only for Talon to lose his temper.
“Damn it Ganasis you will try! If it doesn’t work then all we have lost is a little hair and a little effort.”
Ganasis sighed heavily.
“Alright.” he added sounding tired.
Ganasis then took the hair and fastened it to a small rock and then got up and stood at the edge of a ledge and held out the rock and muttered some words in wizards tongue. When Ganasis finished he then tossed the rock down into the valley and into the ants. Talon walked over to the ledge and looked at where the rock had landed, they both watched with anticipation waiting for something to happen.
“You see my friend.” sighed Ganasis after a short while where nothing changed and he walked back off the ledge to sit down leaving Talon still gazing at the valley.
“It seems were still trapped after all.” he sighed sitting down.
“Ganasis come here.” Talon suddenly said as he thought he saw smoke coming from the place where the rock landed.
“What Talon.”
“Ganasis something is happening.” added Talon wiping his eyes and getting excited
Ganasis pulled himself up and joined him.
“Look, where the rock landed.” Talon pointed.
Ganasis suddenly gasped as the smoke began to increase and then he could see fire
“By Apollo.” he gasped.
The flame grew steadily then like an explosion which made both Talon and Ganasis cover their faces from the heat the flames consumed the width of the valley and then like a giant wave they started to travel down the valley towards Zachania incinerating the ants as it did so.
“It worked!” Talon shouted.
Talon patted Ganasis hard with excitement and noticed a strange look on his wizard friends face.
“Ganasis it worked.”
“But it should not have” added Ganasis.
Talon punched the air pleased that the ordeal was over but Ganasis grabbed his arm and turned to him.
“Talon I tell you that should not have happened.”
“What are you saying Ganasis.”
Ganasis then slowly rose to his feet and sided away from Talon as if wary of him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing” replied Ganasis rather unconvincingly.
“Ganasis what is it?” added Talon noting the look on his face.
“What are you?”
“What.”
“Who are you Talon? You possess a power like Apollo himself.”
“I didn’t do this you did Ganasis.”
“With your hair.”
“And your spell.”
“No Talon it was you, you have a vast presence, I see it now, you are a weapon, your words are a weapon, your name is and even your hair is a weapon.”
Talon winced at what Ganasis had just said to him and held out his hand for him.
“Ganasis it’s me Talon, do not be scared of me my friend.”
Hesitantly Ganasis took Talons hand.
“Come my friend lets return.” Talon replied.
King Arun had just drifted into sleep as General Kanyan awoke him shouting at his door.
“Sire! Sire! The ants are gone.”
King Arun quickly woke and ordered Kanyan inside.
“Great news Kanyan, congratulate the men” replied Arun pulling himself up from his bed.
“No sire you don’t understand, it was not us that killed them, we were carrying out our orders when giant flames flew across the valley, killing everything, the men were lucky to escape with their lives.”
Chapter 21
As the night closed in, the King sat in the tent delighted that Talon and Ganasis had returned. While Talon sat drinking endless amounts of water, Ganasis sat and told the King all about the ordeal of the last few days.
“So it was definitely Grarlin who you saw Ganasis?”
“There was no mistaking him sire.”
“You seem distracted Arun” Talon suddenly said noticing a caution in the Kings actions
Arun looked at Talon and thought about his reply, the King was feeling cautious and slightly fearful at what he had just seen. It was beginning to dawn upon him the power they would soon be facing and it troubled him how apprehensive he felt when Talon and Ganasis were missing, in fact it crossed his mind that when they were missing, if they were found dead the King questioned himself if he would have had the courage to carry on in this war.
“It’s not a distraction Talon, just cautiousness.”
“If your concerned about what happened in the valley, I will not let myself be caught unawares again” added Ganasis.
“What do you suggest Ganasis?” added the King seeing how confident and relaxed Ganasis seemed to be.
“I say we attack, NOW!”
The King looked across at General Kanyan to see if Ganasis’s remark had had an effect but the General remained stone faced as usual.
“Why would Grarlin summon the ants?” asked the King turning back to the wizard.
“My best guess is to buy some time, I think he sensed us on the mountain side and wanted more time to organise his army, this is the reason why I think we should attack now, remember Arun, Grarlin would still think that I am imprisoned or dead and he would not have expected us to deal with the ants so swiftly.”
“If we attack now we meet him unprepared.” Talon snapped.
The King once again turned to Kanyan for a reply.
“Ganasis speaks sense sire.”
“My Lord, if Ganasis is correct then we cannot wait, if the Empire multiply there army then it could cost us thousands of life, I say we take full advantage of this.”
“Sire the army could be ready by morning” added General Kanyan.
“Have the extra soldiers arrived.” asked Ganasis.
“We have four hundred thousand warriors polishing their swords as we speak.” Kanyan said proudly.
King Arun’s face half smiled as he got to his feet.
“Write the order, after centuries of imprisonment tomorrow morning the people of Zachania will march into Kratos.”
The King then turned to General Kanyan.
“Send word back to Zachra, make sure the council knows.”
“Immediately sire!” replied the General before excusing himself to carry out the order.
“So this it Ganasis, war is upon us.” added the King once the General left.
“It is the right decision Arun.” replied Ganasis.
“What about my Grandfather Ganasis, he will not have time to coincide the attack by sea.” asked Talon.
“That plan will have to wait Talon.” added the King.
word quickly spread throughout the camp of the imminent attack and was greeted with a mixed response, some soldiers cheered and rejoiced and sang songs of victory, while other soldiers mostly the men with family’s held their own company and thoughts, some preyed to the gods while others tried to sleep thinking about loved ones back home.
As Talon walked amongst the men he felt the relief that finally something was going to happen but although it was not spoken Talon sensed a strong feeling of apprehension, when he returned to the tent he looked up at the stars and hoped his own cautiousness wou
ld allow him to sleep on this hot and balmy night. As he entered he saw Ganasis and the King still busy looking at maps and after asking them if he was needed he lay down in the corner and tried to get some rest.
Talon at first lay staring into the darkness where his mind began to wander, for some reason he thought of his father and how proud he was when he packed him off to be a member of the royal guard of the Empire. Talon then began thinking of what was now expected of him by all who had named him the Zararhakzar, the fabled name of the saviour of Zachania ‘I hope I have the strength to see this through.’ he silently said.
Talon then thought of the battle that was coming in the morning and of all the deaths that were to follow ‘I must lead the attack.’ he said again silently as if trying to reassure his courage before finally drifting into sleep.
Even in his dreams Talon thought of battle, all through the night, until morning when Ganasis woke him up.
“Talon it is time.” Ganasis said giving him a hard nudge.
Talon rolled over and opened his eyes, the morning light had not yet fully arrived and the room was still quite dark.
“Ganasis.” Talon said.
“Come on Talon, its time.” Ganasis repeated.
Talon sat up and felt his sleep ebb away and was soon overwhelmed by a strange sense of anxiety, everything seemed as if he was still dreaming he pulled himself from the warm covers into a world of horror. He shook his head trying to rid himself of any negative thoughts as he slowly got to his feet.
“Wash yourself, I will be back in a moment.” Ganasis said leaving the room.
Once Talon had washed he opened his bag and pulled out his Zachanian war suit and the sword of Apollo which was wrapped in a silk cloth, he dressed and then walked out into the morning air. The sun was now rising and Talon saw soldiers everywhere, he looked around and took a deep breath and pinched himself that this was really happening.
“Lord Talon we have prepared a horse for you.” a soldier said walking over.
Talon looked at the horse, a fine white horse.
“The King chose him personally for you.” added the soldier.
Talon checked the horses saddle before getting on him, he pulled the horse left then right to steady himself before heading over towards where he knew the King would be, Talon tied his horse and walked through the crowds of soldiers who were all looking frantic, shouting orders at each other to a hut where he found the King.
Zachania Page 35
