Blood Wars

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  “Cultural differences, I guess,” replied Tyler. “Let’s go visit the neighbors.”

  The party formed as the mage said, with Habrok leading the way. At first, Tyler created a barrier enclosing the four of them, the ranger forging ahead. But as they progressed through the thick jungle, he had to stop and reform the shield. It mistook the branches and tree stumps hitting it as attacks, hugely contributing to the noise the party was making.

  Instead, he formed a barrier in front of them and shields on the side but positioned closer to the companions. He hoped ordinary bushes wouldn’t be considered as incoming strikes. The dense vegetation of the rainforest made it difficult. Unlike the northern woodlands, there was barely any space to maneuver as the group moved forward. After a while, Tyler noticed that the shields didn’t react to the bushes.

  They continued walking, taking a break now and then. Tyndur had graciously borne the weight of their provisions. Tyler scanned the area from time to time. No possible hostile lifeforms registered. Walking through the tropical forest was draining. Humidity and the foliage took its toll on the mage. He found himself calling for a break more often.

  “I hate this kind of forest,” he said to Asem during one of their breaks.

  “I hear the jungles to the southwest are worse,” remarked the priestess. “I am surprised we haven’t come across the big predators yet.”

  “I have been checking our surroundings periodically. The biggest animal I could detect was a huge snake but that’s all.”

  “It’s odd. Usually, by this time, we should be seeing big cats and other predators. It’s a tropical forest after all.”

  “I am thankful for that,” commented the mage. “I hope we don’t run into them.”

  Asem laughed. “We can avoid them, anyway. Unless you fancy an outfit made out of puma or jaguar fur.”

  “No thanks.”

  After around three hours of struggling through the dense undergrowth, they found Habrok waiting for them. The entire trek was marked by hastily cast healing spells. The tangled bushes extracted their toll on exposed skin.

  “Habrok, any problems?”

  “One, sire. It appears we’re on a plateau.”

  The ranger led them forward and as they came out of the trees, a beautiful scenic vista greeted them. Below was a thick carpet of verdant treetops as far as the eyes could see. The horizon revealed a blue sky, with a few clouds passing by, lighted by the rays of the early afternoon sun. In the distance could be seen the beginnings of a vast city. It was a singularly impressive panorama. But Tyler’s attention was on the sheer cliffs of the plateau.

  What the? How the hell are we going to get down from here? Leave it to those freaking deities to make things more difficult!

  Tyler looked at the precipitous cliffs. They offered no path down nor possible handholds for a terrifyingly dangerous descent. He estimated the distance from the top to the bottom at five hundred feet. He thought of walking around the edge of the plateau to find a way down but that would take too much time. He looked at the group.

  “Anybody got any ability to help us get down there in one piece?” he asked.

  One by one, they shook their heads.

  “A long enough rope could help, but we don’t have that,” commented Astrid.

  “Why do you need a rope?” a small voice asked.

  As one, the group turned to the speaker. Each had taken defensive stances, hands on their weapons. Tyler was the exception. He still didn’t have the finely-honed instincts and extensive experience of the others. He wearily stood up with the assistance of his staff and went to the back of the group. There, stood a young girl, in a white blouse and a long skirt. A golden choker, decorated with jade and topaz, adorned her neck and thin golden bangles bejeweled both her arms. Her long hair was pleated with gold and silver threads.

  Tyler concluded she looked like a fifteen-year-old girl if she were human. But despite her brown skin and South American features, the girl had an elfin air about her. In fact, she wore a mischievous smile on her face.

  “A good afternoon to you, girl. We were wondering how to get down from this plateau.”

  “You got up here and don’t know how to get back down?” questioned the girl thought the tone indicated she knew the answer.

  “We got up here by some misunderstanding. We didn’t realize it would be on this high place.”

  “And?” she innocently asked. Astrid and Asem already were suppressing wide grins.

  Tyler thought about how to answer the question.

  “And we need a long rope,” he finally said.

  The girl laughed. It had an innocent and fun quality to it.

  “And such a long rope it must be!” she exclaimed, laughing some more.

  I must be missing something, assumed Tyler as he saw the Valkyrie and the priestess holding back their mirth. Even the ranger and the einherjar were smiling.

  “I give up, girl. May I ask who are you?”

  “You’re no fun at all,” the girl pouted. “You give up too easily.”

  Thankfully, Asem moved forward and took over the conversation.

  “Greetings, spirit of air,” the priestess said.

  “And may thy father bless and keep you always, High Priestess,” responded the girl solemnly.

  High Priestess. Demigoddess. Figures she could spot magical beings.

  He felt Tyndur move to his side.

  “I think you just got served, sire. I believe that’s the phrase you used,” the einherjar spoke softly.

  “Yes, Tyndur. I got served.”

  He noticed Asem had finished with the girl and was walking back to him.

  “We can call her Nenetl. That’s the Aztecah word for ‘doll’. Not her real name, of course. She just got here and has been instructed to help us get down by the person who assisted in our arrival. Though she can’t just snap her fingers and bring all of the group to that forest,” Asem pointed to the distant green foliage below, “she can carry us down one by one. Or we can walk or run down the mountainside.”

  “Walk or run down? That’s a long way to fall,” replied Tyler.

  “She can provide the air resistance to prevent one from meeting the ground too fast. A new experience for me. I opt to run down the mountain.”

  “Not me. I have a slight fear of heights,” lied Tyler.

  The rest of the companions wanted to try it so Tyler was the first down the plateau, carried in the young maiden’s arms like a baby. It was a pleasurably smooth ride down though Tyler decided he could do without the girl’s giggles as she held him in her arms.

  Once on firm ground, he sat down on a fallen tree trunk and watched his companions run and walk down the perpendicular cliff. It was disorienting for the mage to see them at a ninety-degree angle to his position.

  This journey just gets weirder, he mused.

  Finally, the four were on the ground. Beaming faces told him they relished the trip down. Then he found Nenetl standing before him.

  “Your companions enjoyed it, mage. It’s unfortunate you didn’t get to try it.”

  “It’s alright, Nenetl. Maybe next time.”

  “Next time then. Goodbye.”

  “Farewell and thank you,” said Tyler. Fat chance I’m going to do that.

  The spirit went to the companions and bid farewell to them. When Nenetl got to Astrid, she gave a short curtsy.

  “Farewell to you, elder sister of the wind. Lady of the Eastern Breeze. May we meet again.” Then she vanished.

  Sister of the wind? Lady of the Eastern Breeze? But Tyler could see that Astrid was also puzzled by the girl’s comment. The party gathered again in their usual formation and Tyler rebuilt the barriers. They continued on their way south. Toward the great city they glimpsed from the strange plateau. The mage let his affinity with the ambient energy around them flow and check the new forest. This time, Tyler could sense some large predators, but they were far off and moving in the opposite direction. He remembered that the great cats of
South America usually hunted at night. The forest was as dense and tangled as the one they just left. After two hours of arduous walking and fast healing spells, they saw Habrok moving back to the group at a crouch. Immediately, everybody kneeled on the ground and waited for the ranger.

  “Sire. A large group of Aztecah warriors a hundred feet ahead, taking a break in a small clearing below this high ground. About fifty to sixty feet from the low cliff where our path leads,” Habrok reported as he got to the mage. “I estimate around a hundred warriors and three mages. They do have some prisoners. Eighteen, by my count. Strange beings. They look like the gigas we encountered back in Akrotiri.”

  “We’re on high ground? Giant prisoners?”

  “Yes, sire. I believe the ground from the plateau tapers down to the lowlands. As to the prisoners, they are giants. Ten to fifteen feet in height. Dressed in trousers of hide and tunics. Some appeared wounded. But I doubt if they’re gigas. The gigas are found only in the north. These must be of a different sort or tribe. All appear very weak and have metal collars around their necks. The collars are connected to each other by metal chains.”

  Freaking complication.

  Tyler looked around. His companions had heard Habrok and were evidently waiting for him to make a decision. The mage did a quick scan of their surroundings. Except for the mass of sparks in front of them representing the Aztecah and their prisoners, he didn’t detect anything unusual. He signaled for everybody to gather around him.

  “Comments? Ideas?” he asked the group in a low voice. “They’re in front of us. We could risk going around them but no telling how long the delay will be. It’s late in the afternoon. That’s a hundred of them with three mages. If we act to save the prisoners, we have to ensure no Aztecah survives to spread the word that we are coming. And does anybody have an idea of what those giants are?”

  “I believe they are Quinametzin, a race of ancient giants who opposed the Aztecah gods. They were said to possess magical abilities. But few of them are left after the pantheon and the empire warred on them. In the old world and this reality. They have good relations with other human tribes and civilizations, usually those opposed to the empire. Our lore mentions they were believed to be the builders of Teotihuacan, a city in the First World. The Teotihuacan civilization predated most of the civilizations known as the Maya, the Olmec, and related tribes. I do believe the race existed even before Kemet. Though by the time of the Aztecs, they were already on the wane. Easy prey for the empire,” casually mentioned Asem.

  “You know a lot about these people, Asem,” remarked Tyler.

  “My father believed in knowledge. Not only about your friends but also your enemies. Or the foe of your enemy. Any opposed to the Aztecah is a friend to us. I would also hate to leave those beings in their clutches. As magical creatures, I shudder to think of what is in store for them,” said Asem.

  “We can defeat them, no question about, it but making sure nobody survives may be a tall order. Even if one escapes towards the city, we’re dead. Not that I mind dying again. Actually, I have already forgotten how I died when I became an einherjar. But if they escape in other directions, we will be forced to hunt them down. Another delay,” said Tyndur.

  “I’ll go with any decision you make, sire,” offered Astrid. “Though saving those intended for Aztecah rites is a worthwhile cause. We do have to make a decision soon. I suppose the prisoners are intended to be part of tomorrow’s celebrations. That group is merely taking a break.”

  “Same as Astrid, I’ll go with whatever decision is made,” Habrok pronounced.

  “Sire, can’t you do the drain spell? Like what you did back in the ruins?” asked Tyndur. Asem nodded in agreement.

  “That’s a very draining spell. True, there’s only a hundred of them but determining which life spark is an enemy and which one is that of a prisoner is impossible. Habrok, I assume the guards are closely guarding the prisoners?”

  Habrok gave a quick nod.

  “That’s the problem. We also can’t guard all the corners of the clearing and at the same time, dispose of whoever survives the initial attack. Habrok, please draw the layout and deployment of the Aztecah and the prisoners relative to our position.”

  The ranger picked up a stick and started to draw on the ground.

  A polite cough, obviously intended to attract attention, sounded somewhere at the back of Asem and Astrid. Tyler immediately looked up as the two were in front of him. He could see nothing. But the companions quickly spread out and adopted fighting positions with weapons drawn. The mage immediately cast a broad barrier in front of them and at the same time, sent a wave of questing energy forward. To his surprise, nothing of interest registered, only minute embers indicating ordinary fauna.

  “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. We mean no harm considering you’re not Aztecah,” a deep voice sounded. They still couldn’t see anything. Tyler observed the priestess casting a spell. When Asem saw him looking at her, she shook her head.

  What the hell again is this? We can’t see nor detect them. Freaking weird.

  “Greetings and all but you’re making us very nervous considering we can’t see you,” Tyler called out.

  The jungle in front of them blurred and a very tall figure appeared. A giant. Armed and armored. The arrow held in his bow was the size of a spear. Slowly, more of the beings emerged from the jungle background. It was like they were hiding in plain sight. All around them. Around twenty, guessed the mage. They’re like chameleons! All well equipped and protected, though two appeared to be magical practitioners as they held staffs instead of spears. Looking closely at their features, Tyler saw they looked of Mediterranean descent. Olive skin and black hair, though some were blue-eyed. But they had surrounded Tyler and his companions. The mage immediately reformed the barrier into a circular one.

  “There’s no need to do that,” said the one who first spoke. “We don’t intend to attack unless you strike first.”

  The giant walked forward. Tyler, already nervous that the giant could detect what he did with the shield, observed that the rest of the beings were only in ready stances. Weapons were not drawn. That reassured him a bit.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seth Tenoch, the leader of this warband. We couldn’t help but overhear your discussion. Interesting and reassuring words. I believe we have a common problem.”

  “Havard, High Mage. I assume you’re Quinametzin?”

  “That we are. We were tracking that prisoner escort company for two days now, trying to find an opportunity to rescue our brethren. They raided one of our hunting camps and the bulk of their forces are still being engaged by other warbands. We did find it strange that they hurried with a mere eighteen prisoners back to the city.”

  “I guess that has something to do with the celebrations tomorrow. These are my companions – Astrid, Asem, Habrok, and Tyndur.”

  Seth-Tenoch glanced at the mage and then at the rest of his companions. A smile appeared on his weathered face.

  “Strange company. Mortals, a warrior of Odin from far Asgard, and demigoddesses. With a visitor as a High Mage. I would prefer to know what you are doing here but, since it obviously doesn’t bode well for those blood eaters and heart feeders, I will not pry further.”

  Demigoddesses? Astrid looked surprised but kept quiet. Coming after the “Lady of the Eastern Breeze” comment of Nenetl, Tyler was also taken aback but, like the Valkyrie, he didn’t say anything.

  But Tyndur gave a wide grin at his words. Seth-Tenoch looked at him and then at Tyler.

  “Why does he suddenly look so happy?”

  “It must be those phrases you mentioned – blood eaters and heart feeders. He used the exact terms back where we came from to describe their priests and mages. I guess he feels vindicated.”

  The giant turned to Tyndur and gave him a wave. The einherjar cheerfully waved back.

  “Can I sit down? It’s difficult talking to you mortals while standing up.”

&nb
sp; “Please do. I’ll join you,” responded Tyler. The mage beckoned for the others to join them.

  The mage observed the reactions of his companions as they also sat down, though their weapons remained unsheathed. Tyndur was in a good mood and the ranger was calm about the whole thing. He put their responses down to their experiences. Facing giants would be nothing to attacking a group of Elders in Tyndur’s case. Moreover, the Norse experience of fighting against ice giants and other massive creatures would have inured the einherjar to the size of their visitors. For Habrok, the mage assumed that after their collective experiences, another giant wouldn’t faze the ranger.

  On the other hand, Asem appeared extremely curious and Astrid’s expression held some disbelief in it. The priestess’s reaction he credited to the quest for knowledge which dominated Asem’s life. Astrid’s reaction was a bit more difficult for Tyler to assess – either her experience in hunting jotnar and dokkalfr didn’t involve giants, or the size of Seth-Tenoch, who looked like an oversized human, was a novelty to her. The huge being she fought before, the minotaur, was a non-human creature. But then again, Tyler considered that it might still be part of a continuing reaction to the “demigoddesses” comment.

  “Now,” said Tyler, “how may we be of service?”

  Seth-Tenoch softly laughed in his deep voice.

  “I thought I would be the one to say that,” commented the giant. “Though we have been trailing that group, the presence of those three mages always gives us pause. Your scout has informed you about the strange weakness among the prisoners?”

  “He did. Which puzzled me. Eighteen giants could have attempted to escape. I don’t think one hundred warriors and three mages can stop them.”

  “Those damned collars are the problem. They’re infused with some sort of magic which weakens magical beings. We don’t know exactly how it works, but it would be safe to assume that the three mages with them know how to cast a similar spell. Our warband wouldn’t last long if we do it by ourselves.”

  “I think we also ran into the same situation a while back. But our problem with that Aztecah company is that there are only five of us and we can’t afford to let anyone escape if we do attack them,” averred Tyler.