“Thank you for last night Ganasis; you have rekindled the men’s will.”
Ganasis smiled and was just about to reply when both men’s attention was turned to one of Lord Heikan’s warriors shouting loudly.
“HERE THEY COMMMMMME!”
Lord Heikan then quickly brushed past the King and Ganasis and joined the shouting soldier on a large rock, Heikan gazed at the advancing Empire for a moment before raising his sword in the air to signal his men to advance to meet them.
King Arun drew his own sword and went over to join Heikan who was readying himself to join with his men.
“Arun!” Ganasis snapped grabbing the Kings arm and trying to stop him from joining Heikan.
“What are you doing?” added Ganasis knowing full well that the King was intending to fight.
“Ganasis this battle I must join.” replied the King sincerely.
“The King does not engage in combat.” snapped Ganasis abruptly.
“I am sorry, but this King Does.” answered King Arun as he broke free from the wizards grip and jogged over to join Heikan.
“Are you with us?” Heikan smiled seeing the King join him.
“I am with you.” replied Arun smiling as he felt the adrenaline rush through his body.
“THE KING FIGHTS WITH US!” Heikan shouted turning to his men who all replied by cheering.
The two armies marched slowly towards each other; Heikan’s army marched to the sound of drums which echoed across the valley, Boom …..Boom …..Boom, they sounded sending chills into the advancing Imperial soldiers who could see clearly they were fighting a different Zachanian army. Both armies stopped about fifty paces from each other; it was a show of respect from the Imperial soldiers who cheered the Zachanian’s acknowledging the courage they had shown over the past nine days. General Krustov far away on the Empires front line saw this show of respect, he quickly grabbed a sword and shield from one of his soldiers and began to bang them together sharing the tribute. Both armies stood cheering each other until Heikan ordered his drums to increase, the drums banged faster and faster until they sounded like a giant racing heartbeat, Heikan’s warriors started to bang their feet and crash their swords against their shields as their eagerness to attack reached breaking point. Lord Heikan then turned to his trusted champion Kinlan and told him to sound the attack; Kinlan smiled and jumped forward raising his sword high into the air.
“LONG LIVE HOUSE HEIKAN!” he screamed as the army pointed their swords at the Empire and repeated the words as they began to charge.
Heikan’s army then threw thousands of their ancient weapons, the Klafboz at the Empire; the poisoned tips of the weapons flew into the Empire dropping thousands of them to the ground, Heikan’s army cheered as they fell.
Then like two great giant waves crashing together the hand to hand fighting commenced. The King and Lord Heikan quickly got into the thick of the fighting, Heikan armed with a sword in one hand and an axe in his other wasted no time in killing the Imperial soldiers. Besides the King and Heikan was Kinlan whose skill in combat was second to none, King Arun was fighting well even though Kinlan stayed besides him keeping his eye on his back. The Zachanian’s roused by standing with their leaders soon began to push the Imperial soldiers back, the killing was relentless and furious, the Zachanian’s spirit quickly began to rise as they could sense a great victory, Imperial soldiers were running and laying down their swords in surrender as the merciless onslaught of the Zachanian’s continued.
Led by Heikan and the King they drove the Empire back to their front line, the Imperial soldiers lost all control of their lines as the Imperial tents were now in view.
“DRIVE THEM INTO THE HILLS!…..SHOW NO MERCY!” Heikan screamed as they broke the Empires front line and entered their camp.
King Arun cheered as he saw the Imperial soldiers running away in all directions as they tried to escape Heikan’s relentless warriors.
“We have done it sire, we have won the day!” shouted Kinlan seeing the Empire run.
Lord Heikan then joined the King and Kinlan, the Lord was smothered in Imperial blood, he hugged the King and grabbed hold of Kinlan.
“VICTORY!” he shouted angrily still lost in the frenzy of battle.
Zachanian soldiers were now celebrating all around; there was an overwhelming sense of relief as the Empire disappeared running for their lives.
“Check the tents and surrounding area’s for any injured.” King Arun said turning to Kinlan.
Kinlan smiled and nodded then froze and was just about to carry out the Kings order when he stopped in his tracks.
“What is that?” he said as the colour drained from his face.
King Arun’s expression also changed as they felt the ground beneath their feet start to vibrate.
“What the damn is it?” asked Heikan greatly concerned and puzzled.
“This feels bad.” Kinlan sighed clearly showing the fear on his face.
King Arun then lifted his head and began to gaze at a nearby hill where a noise started to come from, Heikan stiffened besides him as the noise increased.
“Horses?” asked Kinlan even though he knew full well it was.
“By the gods there must be thousands of them.” uttered Heikan fearfully.
Heikan’s army stood frozen to the spot as all eyes were now on the hill, King Arun felt a chill run down his spine as he saw thousands of soldiers on horseback coming into view.
“By the gods!” Kinlan sighed as he saw the sheer size of the army that was riding furiously towards them.
Grarlin’s Degrain’s had arrived, they looked terrifying as they rampaged across the ground, the Zachanian’s stood aghast as this army of monsters approached them like an apocalyptic storm, Heikan winced as he saw their appearance.
“What monsters are they?” he shouted as he noticed their horns and size.
“Retreat Heikan!…get our men back behind our lines.” King Arun frantically demanded.
Heikan shouted for his men to retreat and moments later thousands of Zachanian’s were running for their lives back to the trenches, Heikan stopped when he noticed that some of his men were trapped and were trying to fight the Degrain, he winced as he saw his men smashed to the ground by axes that were the size of a man.
“My Lord we must get back to cover, we will be butchered in this open land.” Kinlan shouted as he pulled Heikan, the Lord ran for a moment but then stopped, he told King Arun to continue back towards the lines before he shouted to some of his men and began to form a group of archers to try and help the men that were making up the rear.
When King Arun reached the Zachanian front lines he was met by Ganasis who helped him over some of the barricades.
“DEGRAINS!” Ganasis shouted showing his fear in his voice.
“What can we do Ganasis?” the King asked trying to regain his breath.
“FIGHT THEM!……I will try to make a spell to delay them.”
Then a terrified soldier ran over to the King, his face was distorted with terror.
“SIRE THEY ARE BEHIND US ASWELL!” he shouted before running off to find cover.
Arun and Ganasis turned quickly in horror, Arun felt sick as he saw clouds of dust coming from the horizon behind them, he turned and looked at Ganasis, Ganasis noticed the Kings face, it was smothered with disappointment, the King still looked determined but his eyes could not hide a broken heart.
“We will die as proud free men my King.” Ganasis replied to him.
Then General Kanyan joined the King and Ganasis.
“That’s not horses” he said as he squinted his eyes to look on the horizon.
Ganasis jumped onto a nearby rock trying to get a better look, he raised a hand to his forehead and winced as he studied the horizon, moments later he turned to King Arun smiling from ear to ear.
“ARUN…..IT IS Talon!” he shouted as before his eyes he saw Talon riding on the back of one of the bear people leading an army of over one hundred thousand beasts.
“TALON IS HERE ARUN!, he brings the beasts from the Forest of Deceit.” Ganasis shouted as moments later thousands of the beasts jumped over the Zachanian front lines and charged at the Degrain’s in the valley. Talon jumped from the back of the beast and ran over to Ganasis and the King.
“Never have I been so pleased to see someone.” King Arun sighed as he picked Talon up.
The bear men launched themselves straight into the thick of battle, carrying huge wooden clubs they smashed into the Degrain’s with terrifying brute force. The Degrain’s were no match for the mighty army of bear people who were leaping at the Degrain’s and smashing them from their horses to the ground. The fiercely savage Degrain’s refused to surrender or retreat and they battled as best they could. The battle took the Zachanian’s breath away as they looked on in awe at the brutal barbaric nature of the fighting; this was not a battle of strategies but just a carnal lust for blood. Every single Degrainian had to be put to the death because they would not retreat, by evening the battlefield ran with rivers of blood, it was a sight that would live with everyone who was present until the day they died.
Zachania had prevailed, against all the odds this morning, Talon, the King, Ganasis and all the Lords of the council stood speechless as they looked out onto the silent battlefield, all around for miles there were dead corpses, miraculously they had their victory but it was at a cost that took away any feeling of joy.
Chapter 29
The Evening at Fort Arun on the Zachanian side of Death Valley brought with it songs of victory and celebration as the what was left of the Zachanian armies cheered themselves and gave thanks to the gods that they were still alive. It was a strange atmosphere for a night after a victory, the Zachanian’s rejoiced and drank as much ale as they could but there was an overwhelming feeling of relief rather than outright celebration.
Inside the Fort were the great Lords of the council, the King, Talon, Ganasis and Zumal as well as their new friend, the leader of the Bear men, Quankow. Quankow was seated next to Talon on a large rock which he had carried because he was too big to sit in a chair, Quankow seemed amused as he watched Kinlan drinking ale and doing somersaults into the air, Kinlan was shouting and celebrating with Lord Heikan’s son Kraal, they held their own drinking competition against each other.
King Arun laughed as Kraal tried to do a somersault from a table after drinking a large jug of ale and fell flat on his face, Kinlan shouted out the name of his house as he won the competition.
“HEIKAN!” he shouted before reaching for another jug of ale.
Lord Heikan sat proud watching his men celebrate, he sat almost King like as he thought to himself this was the proudest day of his life, it did not matter to him about the Degrain’s or the bear beasts, he was proud at what happened earlier in the day when his own Heikan army broke through the Imperial battle lines and sent them running into the hills, it was a glorious day for him, one which would add greatly to the reputation of the House of Heikan army and a day that would cement his own personal legacy.
When King Arun rose to his feet he had to ask for silence three times, finally when he had everyone’s attention he held up his jug.
“Gentlemen, a toast to our great victory and a toast to our new friends.” he said turning to Quankow who was sitting oblivious to what King Arun had just said, Talon noticing this turned to Quankow and told him with his mind that his King was thanking him, Quankow bowed his head in acknowledgment and smiled back to the King.
The ale and wine continued to flow as the Zachanian’s rejoiced and celebrated, Ganasis soon grew weary of all the shouting and drinking and he asked Talon and Quankow if they would join him outside where it was somewhat quieter, the three of them excused themselves and then found a secluded spot outside where they sat down under the night sky.
Talon just sat down when he was approached by three drunken soldiers.
“Sire” one of the soldiers said as he knelt before Talon.
“You called me sire” Talon replied looking confused and a little embarrassed.
One of the other soldiers who was clearly drunk then grabbed Talon’s hand and kissed the back of it, the ale had taken away his inhibitions and he paid homage to Talon unashamedly.
“You are our Lord King, you are the Zararhakzar.” he said bowing his head.
Talon smiled feeling embarrassed again and was thankful for Ganasis’s intervention.
“Ok that is enough of that, go and enjoy the night, we have things to discuss.” said the wizard helping the men to their feet before turning back to Talon.
“You better get used to that Talon.”
“They had been drinking Ganasis.”
“Maybe so, but after what you did today, you are all most a god in their eyes.”
“Please Ganasis; I have enough on my shoulders.”
“The weight of leadership is a heavy one my friend.”
“Ganasis, why did you ask me to come outside?” Talon replied changing the subject.
Ganasis looked over at Quankow and then back to Talon.
“I wanted to ask Quankow some questions.”
“Quankow does not use our language, but I can speak to him with my mind.”
“mind-reading.” snapped Ganasis.
“Yes.”
“May I try?” asked Ganasis looking excited.
Talon turned to Quankow and told him with his mind that Ganasis was going to try to communicate with him, Quankow smiled and then turned to face the wizard.
“Quankow do you hear me?” asked Ganasis wincing his face with concentration, Talon smiled as he heard the wizard’s thoughts, Quankow tilted his head slightly.
“Think slower.” Talon then said to Ganasis.
“My name is Ganasis” thought the wizard only to stiffen when he heard thoughts enter his head.
“I know, I am Quankow.”
Ganasis broke into a massive smile.
“I know.” he thought back which made them all smile.
“Quankow, I want to thank you and your tribe for helping us today, what you did we can never show our gratefulness enough.”
“It was Apollo’s wishes.” Quankow thought back while nodding his head accepting the thanks Ganasis gave him.
“Quankow, may I ask you some questions about your race?”
“You may Ganasis.”
“How old are you Quankow?”
“I am nearly fifteen hundred of your years” Quankow replied making Talon’s eyebrows raise.
“Does your entire race live so long?” asked Ganasis.
Quankow smiled before sending his thoughts back.
“No, I am eternal, over one thousand of your years ago the god Apollo saved my life by giving me a drink from the well of the gods, I was healed by the water but it also gave me eternal life.”
Ganasis suddenly tensed as he heard the mention of the Well of the Gods.
“How much did you drink Quankow?”
Quankow hunched his shoulders.
“I am not sure, maybe three or four mouthfuls.”
“It should have killed you.” snapped Ganasis abruptly.
Again Quankow hunched his shoulders.
Talon then tapped the arm of Ganasis.
“Why are you so interested in the water from the well of the gods Ganasis?”
“I have tasted it too.”
“You have Ganasis.”
“As a child, nearly a thousand years ago.”
Talon suddenly smiled as he could not imagine Ganasis was ever a child.
“Baby Ganasis.” Talon smirked.
“Yes Talon I was a child once, did you think I was born like this.” replied Ganasis with sarcasm.
“What happened.” asked Talon once he had stopped smiling.
“When a wizard reaches his time of death, he seeks out and chooses a new-born boy, if the family agree then the baby is taken to the Well of the Gods where one drop of the sacred water is placed in the baby’s mouth, if the Gods decide that the wizard has lived a g
ood and just life then all of his knowledge is passed to the baby, the baby then falls into a deep sleep for ten years, when he awakes he has all the powers of a wizard, just one drop of the sacred water can prolong life for a very long time.”
“What happens to the wizard who finds the baby?” asked Talon.
“He stays with the baby for the ten years, when the baby awakes the wizard drinks a drop of the sacred water and he slips into death, his soul is then taken to the VOLASKAN.”
“The Volaskan Ganasis.”
“Yes it was every wizard strives for, it is where the soul exists on a higher level with the gods.”
“And what if the gods decide that the wizard has not led a just life Ganasis.”
“Then both the wizard and baby dies and his soul is thrown into a void for all eternity, a place of everlasting pain and suffering.” replied Ganasis with his face contorted at mentioning the void.
Ganasis shook his head and then turned back to Quankow.
“Quankow, you say you are eternal, how can you live with that knowledge.”
Quankow smiled slightly at Ganasis question, he had indeed asked himself this question countless times before.
“Apollo has given me a cup of the water, if I ever I feel I can live no more than I can drink the water and go to my rest.”
“What is the average age of your race?”
“Four hundred of your years.”
“Tell me Quankow what do you know of the Empire?”
“Not much, Apollo told me centuries ago that a mighty civilisation from a far off land was now in Kratos, he told me they formed an alliance with our sworn enemy the Degrain and together they was killing the descendants of Tusaria.”
“You know of the Tusarian’s” asked Ganasis hearing there name mentioned.
“Yes they were our friends.” replied Quankow.
“Ganasis you also know of the Tusarian’s?” interrupted Talon.
“I am Tusarian, Talon.” replied the wizard.
“Most Zachanian’s are of Tusarian origin, the Tusarian’s found safety in Zachania when they were defeated by the Degrain, when they reached Zachania they were welcomed by the original tribes of Zachania, over the centuries the Tusarian’s grew proud of their home and new way of life so they became Zachanian’s themselves. King Arun’s bloodline can be traced back to the original Zachanian tribes, the Heikan family however have their ancestry from Tusaria, as does Lord Zargar” added Ganasis before turning back to Quankow.
Zachania Page 50
