The Sword of Light

by Andrew G. Wood

“They had flying balgraf underneath as Mazen suggested," Finley replied feeling quite calm and keeping his own sight on the flames in the distance. However, if Finley thought for one moment, his surprise attack had eliminated the threat he was soon proved very wrong. Although he was certain many of the flying beasts must have perished in the flames, it was soon very apparent that many had not.

  The order was given for those defending the wall to ready themselves for an imminent attack as the regular beasts now started moving. “You’ve opened a hornet's nest now Lad!” Mazen told him clutching tightly to his half-staff. Finley just let his shoulders drop and sighed, it appeared at the moment he could not do right for doing wrong. No matter how many times he thought he was helping, it always seemed to have some adverse knock-on effect. At least Arach was safely out of the way, as he watched more of the flying creatures take to the air.

  “Oh, Shit!” Karesh mumbled under his breath, as he watched the spectacle unfold before him.

  “Karesh!” his mother snapped rapping his knuckles with her hand. “We do not use that kind of word!” she hissed. Although it was probably somewhat surreal, his mother was admonishing Karesh for cursing, especially when taking into consideration what was going on around them, Finley could only chuckle. The young Orc looked at him as if to ask what was so funny, “I told you Mother wouldn’t like you cursing!” he replied with a grin. Despite the trouble around them, Karesh smiled back as if realising the humour of the moment.

  “Whatever happens we stick together,” Galdrac told them. “If things start going less favourable,” he added choosing his words carefully, “We all head to the Waygate. No exceptions!” He added knowing only too well this was not yet the battle that had been planned for them. The Elven archers all lined atop of the battlements readied their bows in anticipation, as the forces of the darkness moved slowly forward. Circling above them, probably at least two dozen in number were the flying balgraf that had not succumbed to Arach’s fire attack.

  “Oh great and here comes Abalyon!” Galdrac added dryly, pointing to a position over to their left. “Under no circumstances are you to use the Sword of Light.”

  “I don’t have it,” Finley replied

  “Good, and remember only use your magic if you have to!”

  “I’ll just stand here then shall I?” Finley said with more than a touch of sarcasm in his voice, feeling a little annoyed he was not able to play his part.

  Being as he was supposed to stand and do nothing, Finley kept a watchful eye on the dark figure of the fallen God. Abalyon seemed to think he was almost ready to join him, and in all honesty, during the attack on Carison, he might well have taken the offer. Something had happened when he had used the Sword of Light, a new level of intensity. The power rushing through his body had felt so good, and just that memory once more stirred thoughts he knew he should not be having. However, he was confident that the God Eldan had done something to him in his dream world. Whether he should have done or not, or if anybody had even realised he had, Finley was sure he had intervened. If that were the case, then the deity had indeed broken one of the laws the Gods set down for themselves.

  However, while they always said they could not interfere with proceedings and the goings on in the world, it was apparent they seemed to do so when it pleased them. After all, they had created the Dragon Stone to help defeat Abalyon in one of the previous great wars. They had created magic to help the races survive, and moreover, they had allowed a half-breed such as himself to exist; something that was apparently not usually allowed.

  Also, the Gods had created the Sword of Light, a weapon so powerful, that Finley reckoned it made the wielder as mighty as the makers. Eldan had somehow managed to calm his troubled mind at a time when he had felt vulnerable to Abalyon’s advances. Did the fallen God know this had been done and if so did that mean he would now also be able to intervene in some other way? One thing that Finley had learned in his time spent with the Gods was their mulishness. If one did something, then another had to likewise. So if Eldan had interfered as Finley assumed to be the case, he must have done so without Abalyon or the other Gods knowing. Otherwise, he was certain that certain concessions would have to be made.

  Finley turned his attention to the hordes of balgraf who now spread out, making it much harder for the Elven archers to hit. However, he, like the others, knew that it was the flying balgraf that would be crucial to the outcome of this battle and that the bowmen should be aiming their weapons skyward instead.

  “Fire!” came a shout from somewhere further along the battlements, and Finley watched in awe as hundreds of white feathered arrows soared majestically skywards, arcing up and over, before falling quickly to the ground. A few hit their target, but as now was the norm, a single arrow was rarely good enough to take down one of the newer, tougher balgraf.

  The enemy did not run straight for the walls as they had done on previous attacks, but instead, they veered off course as if circling around the city. “What the bloody hell are they doing know?” Galdrac asked nobody in particular.

  “Seems to me they are going around the city,” Mazen replied.

  “Yes, I can see that,” The old Mage hissed stretching up to try and see where they were going.

  “Well, there aren't many people defending the other side of the city are there?” Mazen added not being perturbed by the Mage’s remarks.

  Finley had to admit, it was certainly a simple but excellent plan. The Elves had naturally lined up their greater strength of numbers along the west side of the city to oppose the force that had been camped out in that direction. Why would they waste soldiers guarding the east wall when nobody was attacking from that side? The balgraf it seemed were learning the art of warfare very quickly, and in doing so had seen the Elves underestimate them.

  With the hordes of creatures circling around the north and south of the city towards the eastern side, Finley now spotted the flying balgraf overhead, apparently relocating to meet them there. If the balgraf got a foothold on the wall, the city of Neylarin was at risk of falling, something he for one was not willing to let happen. He knew it would only take a handful of the beasts to drop down into the streets and they could cause absolute havoc. With so many refugees, the balgraf could run amok, and there would be very little anybody could do to stop them.

  As a result of the enemy changing its plan of attack, hundreds of soldiers now made their way around the top of the wall. The race was on to get into position before the flying balgraf could lift their regular counterparts up onto the battlements. Finley and his group had little option but to do the same, as they were ushered along with the masses. While the balgraf had the greater distance to travel, they could run much quicker than any Elf or Human could. With the flying beasts able to cut across the city, it was quickly evident to Finley at least this was not a race they would be winning.

  Knowing that the walls on the east side were very lightly guarded, he felt panic setting in. While he had been told not to intervene, he felt the risks outweighed the cost and signalled for Arach to come back and help. “Can you intercept the flying balgraf. If only the first few, to give us a chance to get in position?” he asked his dragon. Arach it seemed, was already much nearer than he had first thought, having remained close at hand in case of trouble.

  The first flying balgraf over the city naturally made it there before any of the regular beasts. However, that did not mean it glided aimlessly around waiting. Instead, the creature swooped down and lifted up an unsuspecting Elven guard, wondering what all the fuss was about. The soldier was carried, kicking and screaming Into the sky before being dropped from a great height back down to the ground below.

  Arach was soon on hand to dish out a swift retribution as the dragon flew into the beast, catching it unawares. Using his powerful talons, Arach swept down and tore through the creature’s wing, causing it to veer sharply to the left and plummet from the sky like a falling stone. Knowing Arach could not face off against all the flying balgraf, Finl
ey watched while still running, as the dragon tangled in a mid-air fight with a second. A third balgraf then veered off its intended course, and he realised Arach was in trouble.

  Finley felt a pain in his chest as if something sharp had just pierced right through it. While no physical wound was there, he could certainly feel it’s presence, so much so, he was forced to pull up. Arach had suffered an injury, and although he had won his fight in the air, was now at risk of being ganged up on. “Get out of there!” Finley said actually speaking the words aloud, even though he knew he didn’t need to. The dragon did not hang around, and being much bigger and quicker than the flying balgraf soon managed to put some distance between himself and the immediate danger that now swarmed the position where he had been.

  Leyna stopped despite the crowds of soldiers pushing past her. “Finley!” she shouted struggling to be heard over the noise.

  Finley crouched down slightly, clutching his arm across his chest. The pain was so severe he could barely move, “I think Arach is hurt!” he said through gritted teeth as his mother placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a concerned look. After a few deep breaths though he managed to stand up straight again, whether that was down to Arach feeling less pain or not he was unsure. “Come on!” his mother said assisting him along the battlements, knowing that she would be needed to fight at any moment.

  Chapter 20.

  A few of the balgraf lined up, spaced out as their flying cousins swooped down to pick them up from the ground. The Elves had again made a miscalculation in assuming the beasts were going to fight atop the battlements as the first few enemy creatures were dropped into the streets. Within just a few moments absolute pandemonium set in, as the refugees packed into the city were left trying to flee this terror.

  The screams of young and old, rich and poor cried out as the savage beasts immediately set about killing anything in their path. With a majority of the city’s guards and soldiers upon the battlements, there was little to stop the slaughter on the streets below. However, Galdrac for one noticed the enemy doing something else, a move even he had not expected and one that could likely see the defeat of all the nations.

  Aside from the few dozen beasts being airlifted into the city, the majority had not stopped when reaching the eastern side of the wall. Hundreds of balgraf had continued running, bypassing Neylarin entirely as if they had somewhere more important to go. As the stream of soldiers started clambering down from the battlements to fight the beasts now running amok in the city streets, Galdrac stood and watched. “Where are they going?” he mumbled to himself.

  “Only one major city left if they go that direction,” Leyna answered.

  “Carison!” they both said together.

  Finley felt the pain in his chest receding, something he hoped was a good thing and meant Arach was also feeling better. He closed his eyes to sense the dragon’s location, and to check he was far from harm’s way, to find him lying down in some kind of cave. “I need to rest to allow my injury to heal,” the dragon told him.

  “Okay, stay out of danger. I thought we were in trouble there for a few moments,” Finley replied once more speaking the words aloud although he didn’t need to.

  Leyna, for one, was now becoming used to her son apparently talking to himself, although it was evident Galdrac still found it somewhat irritating. However, the old Mage merely shook his head and when he had realised he was not the one being spoken to returned to watching the pursuing battle below. “We need to warn King Willem,” he said coming up with some resemblance of an idea. “Finley, you will have to do that. The rest of us need to go to Balrach.”

  “The Orcs?” Mazen asked looking rather quizzingly, wondering why they were not helping the Elves fighting in the streets below.

  “Don’t argue!” Galdrac snapped shoving the dwarf down the stone steps that led to the battlements.

  Finley did not question as to why he was the odd one out and be the one that had to go and warn the king. He presumed the fact he had already been there and met the man might have played a part in it. Although if the King considered him dangerous was he really the best person? “Can I have the Sword of Light back then?” he asked as he scurried down the steps trying to keep up.

  “No!” Galdrac shouted back although not even turning his head to glance his direction when speaking.

  Weaving their way along the streets in a bid to reach the Waygate was somewhat problematic. Although the soldiers and guards outnumbered the dozen or so balgraf dropped into the city, the fact that there were so many refugees in the way only hindered their progress. Leyna had to turn her head as they ran past several dead bodies, all of which had been mercilessly cut down by the claws of the balgraf. The blood ran out forming small puddles which she had to step over to avoid standing in them.

  The body of a dead balgraf lay just outside the Waygate building, having been peppered with arrows and numerous cuts and slashes from swords and spears it had finally fallen. However, this was just one such creature, and Galdrac knew there were still many running around the streets. While he also knew he should probably help the soldiers track them down to kill them, he now had to think of the larger picture. This was not the fight he and the others were destined for. Their battle still lay ahead, and there was still much to do.

  Another Balgraf corpse was spotted just outside the doors to the Waygate, although this one did not have a single arrow sticking from its body. Instead, the thin tendrils of smoke lifting up into the air was an indication that this particular beast had been cut down by magic, probably a mage or arcanist. Galdrac had to bang on the doors several times before they actually opened, and in his usual friendly way enquired politely as to why the guards had taken so long to answer.

  “The balgraf were trying to get to the Waygate!” one of the Elves replied not taking offence to the tone being used by Galdrac.

  The old Mage paused for a few moments. This was certainly another new move by the forces of the Darkness. “You think they were trying to destroy it?” Leyna asked noticing him thinking.

  “It would seem that way. I suppose if they managed that, then Neylarin would be isolated from the other races,” Galdrac replied, thinking aloud. After ordering the guards in the building to make sure that did not happen, even though he held no authority over them, he suggested they all move quickly.

  Leyna looked back despairingly at the doors, knowing her parents were still out in the city. Despite the recent falling out, she still loved them very much, and the thought they were now caught up in all the troubles worried her deeply. However, she also knew the bigger picture, and while part of her wanted to stay and help, she knew what needed to be done.

  Using two of the Arcanists to power up the Waygate, the group all hurried through to Felham. Once all safely away from the troubles, it was once again time for Finley to say his goodbyes, although this time he would be taking Sessi with him. Galdrac reckoned where they were now going the wolf would unlikely be welcome and it was probably for the beast that he didn’t go. Moreover, apparently visiting the Orcs was not always a safe thing to do, and as a result, Finley would be better kept from trouble and go to Carison instead. With them having to go to two separate towers in Felham, they parted and headed off, with Finley being told in no uncertain terms to stay out of trouble.

  Galdrac and the others headed for the much lesser used gate that would take them to the central Orcish city of Balrach. A place he had visited only twice before, and neither time with particularly fond memories. Leyna confessed she had never been, as did Mazen. Akeev just appeared to go along with the flow, and just seemed happy to do whatever everyone else did. The one person in the group however who looked far more nervous than any other was Karesh. This was something Leyna picked up on, and as they made their way towards the tower housing the Waygate to Balrach, she asked him what he was so worried about.

  “I’m not sure how they will react to seeing me,” he told her as they waited for the arcanists to power up the Waygate. “Wha
t does it matter what they think? Surely it is what you think and how you feel that matters,” she replied. Although he nodded his understanding, Karesh still felt unsure about making this journey. However, when the gate was ready, he followed the others through not quite sure what to expect the other side.

  One difference was immediate to spot, and that was the Orcish Waygate was positioned outside as opposed to being in a building. However, it was placed higher up than the ground level by several feet, on a large stone platform with a set of broad stone steps leading up to it. Two big brutish looking Orc arcanists watched on as Galdrac led them down and away from the gate.

  While Orcs were supposedly part of the greater alliance that made up the defence against the Darkness, few actually visited this part of the world due to its somewhat volatile nature. Orcish society was run by clans, the most powerful of which usually overseeing the running of the nation. However, it was also typical for that ruling group to be toppled from power, often when a leader had died, and the others saw it as a chance to gain control.

  Seeing such an unusual group emerge through the Waygate quickly appeared to draw the attention of those nearby. While Balrach was deemed the largest settlement in Orcish society, whether it could be called a city was somewhat debatable. As far as Karesh could see it had no outer walls, and moreover very few stone buildings. Many of the dwellings were in fact little more than canvas tents or makeshift homes made from animal skins. Unsure now was a good time to start asking questions though he decided to keep his observations to himself.