The original tree crossing was nowhere to be found. Heric’s reports were all wrong. Alexus had lied about the location. Heric’s stomach dropped everyday they couldn’t find the bridge. It was further proof that Nikali was correct. Alexus had betrayed them. Even after death Alexus was still affecting their lives.
“You’re doing a wonderful job,” said Heric. He turned to his men. The smiles on their faces were the only answer he needed. The bridge was less than a quarter complete. It jutted out from the Eluan side of the territory, reaching out towards its brother across the canyon.
The two countries were having trouble meeting in the middle. The structure would prove too weak and a side would crumble each time the workers tried to expand further. It was as if they were cursed. No matter what reinforcements they did to the bridge, something would go wrong. Eluan lost a dozen men to the emptiness below, Louson near fifty. Never once did they hear the impact of the bodies.
The workers were gracious that Emperor Caning was pleased with their work. The morale lowered with each failure, but their work did not go unnoticed.
“Do not be discouraged about your failed progress,” Heric continued. “Reconnecting the Eluan Empire with the Louson Kingdom was never going to be easy. This canyon remained uncrossed for generations. Our fathers crossed it, and if there is one thing I believe, it is that we are better than our fathers.”
Heric’s speech was cut off. Horns sounded in the area. Panic and duty flashed across the soldiers’ faces. The horns were a warning of an impending attack. The guards rushed to their positions at the outskirts of their perimeter.
Trenches and barricades surrounded the construction of the crossing. It was a complete semi-circle from cliff to cliff. All of the work stopped. The men not fighting retreated to shelter. They were workers, and servants. They were not meant for battle. They were not trained at all for the enemy approaching. Across the canyon, the Louson workers stopped what they were doing. They all watched in anticipation as Eluan prepared themselves. The Louson could not offer any kind of actual support, only words of encouragement.
Heric stepped forward. He was prepared to fight in the battle. Forman stopped him before he could get anywhere. He placed his hand on Heric’s chest. It was only with slight pressure at first. Heric resisted, but Forman grabbed on to his cloak and held tight. He was not going to let his emperor go.
“We should be with our men,” said Heric.
“Your place is right here,” Forman objected. “You are their leader, not their equal. Give them orders, give them spirit, but do not give them your life. Not like this. Even your father understood that lesson,” Forman said, quoting notes from Alexus.
Heric once again held back his frustration. He hated sitting idly by while his men fought for their empire. He knew many of them and he knew many of them would not come back.
The surrounding area went silent. The soldiers stood at the ready. The forest out in the distance thundered. Flocks of birds flew off into the air. Rodents scurried across the ground, escaping the confines of the trees.
“Do you think the men are ready?” Heric asked.
“They have fought them off several times now. They are ready,” said Forman.
“When was the last attack?” Heric asked.
“A couple of months ago. Sightings have become scarce.”
“These are new men in the rotation,” worried Heric. “They may not be ready.”
“They will do fine, Heric. They know you are watching. They will do all they can to make their emperor proud,” assured Foreman.
Roars erupted from the forest. The trees began to shake violently. Then from out of the tree line the attackers descended.
Avadons brushed against the ground and then rose back into the air toward the Eluan camp.
“Do not retreat to your old training,” ordered Heric. “Stay with your partner. They are agile, but they are beasts. You are soldiers of Eluan. The Louson are watching. Your Emperor is watching. Show them your strength.”
The men cheered with their approval. They pounded against their shields. They created a rhythm, counting down the leaps the avadons had until they reached the line of attack.
Each leap of the avadons was echoed with a crash of the shield. It gave the men control, and helped fight off the fear that the avadons brought with them.
The order came. The avadons were in range of attack. First, arrows rained into the air. Many avadons dropped to the ground. Their bodies left paths in the dirt as they crash landed. Louson men cheered the early victories. There was nothing better for them than to see an avadon fall.
Almost three dozen avadons continued their pursuit. They would not be in the path of the arrows for very long. They were too quick. It would be up to the soldiers on the field.
The soldiers rushed forward. They put themselves directly into battle against the avadons. The savage adversary landed within the group of Eluan soldiers. The avadons were surrounded. They struck out with their sharp nails, as dangerous as claws.
Heric watched anxiously. He watched his men fight valiantly. The Louson fighting techniques were paying off. Eluan could fight against the avadons properly, unlike their previous attempts. They had won, but only through desperation and numbers.
Heric turned his attention away from his men and concentrated on the avadons. They had changed since he had first seen them in Louson. Heric could see it clear as day. He kept his eye on one avadon in particular.
“They have a leader,” said Heric.
“You think Seres was right?” Forman wondered.
“It looks like it. I did not see this back in Louson.”
“We were only in one fight with them. It could have easily been missed.”
“No,” said Heric. “They fought so wildly before. There was no controlling them. Look here. Watch its movements.” Heric pointed toward the avadon leader.
The avadon shifted through the battlefield. Avadons followed its lead. The battle changed course by the landings of the one avadon in particular. It never stayed in one place for too long. It never gave a soldier the opportunity to slay it.
The Eluan soldiers were being pushed back. The avadons that remained fought more vicious than ever. Heric’s worries were coming to fruition. He stood by as many of his soldiers fell in the fight. They were not trained well enough.
Heric began to pace back and forth, quipping under his breath. Soldiers died when they did not need to. They made mistakes that cost them their lives, mistakes that Heric could do nothing about. Heric knew if he were out in the field he could survive. He would not make such amateur movements.
The avadons floated in the air back and forth from the soldiers they were up against. The savages could be out of reach in moments after striking. That was the purpose of the pairs. Two soldiers could aim in different areas, force an avadon to move a certain way and strike accordingly. One would strike were the avadon was, the other would strike where it would be.
But the training was not sticking to the newer men. The soldiers struck too narrow of an area. Then the soldiers would try a second strike without returning to their first position. It was a move of panic. The fear the avadons emoted from their own natural arcan was growing in the men’s hearts.
Heric had had enough. He broke past Forman’s grip and charged toward the battlefield. Forman was right behind him. The men at the barricade stood up straighter as they witnessed their emperor enter the fray.
The lead avadon continued to bounce around the battlefield. Heric never took his eyes off of it. Forman remained by his side. He fended off a handful of avadons they passed. Other soldiers were handling the situation. He already knew Heric’s intentions.
Heric and Forman had trained in Louson. They were the most experienced in Eluan to handle an avadon two on one.
The two men reached the center of the fight. The lead avadon was making its way around the field once more. It would be near Heric and Forman momentarily. Eluan soldiers instinct
ively started to circle around their emperor. They protected him as the fight continued.
Heric felt more alive than ever in the past year. This was where he wanted to be. It was where he felt most comfortable.
A stray avadon crashed to the ground at the feet of Heric and Forman. Without hesitation they both struck killing blows to the monster.
The avadon leader landed nearby them. Heric turned toward his target. The avadon scanned the area examining the new formation. Both combatants could sense their roles in the battle. The avadon jumped forward to face Heric directly.
It struck a blow against Heric’s helmet. Then Forman turned over from behind Heric and struck his sword out. The blade pierced the avadon’s left arm. It screamed out in pain. The other avadons yelled out in unity.
Heric swiped his blade from right to left wide in the air. The avadon tried to avoid it, but caught much of the blade across its back. Forman followed with a strike to the avadon’s foot. He drove the blade through the body and dug it into the ground. The avadon was made immobile.
Heric dealt the final blow. He thrust his sword into the throat of the avadon leader. It tried to cry out, but only blood came whispering from its mouth.
Heric stood triumphant. He looked around him. The other avadons were becoming directionless. He could see a clear difference in the battle. The Eluan soldiers were overcoming their enemy. The soldiers gained ground on their monstrous foe. More avadons fell to the Eluan sword.
Then the avadon retreat began. Heric’s duty was over. He could leave his men to finish up the rest. They had won the battle.
Heric and Forman returned to the Eluan camp beyond the barricades. Soldiers waited for him. They cheered him as he passed by. The fight out in the field was all but over. Only a few avadons were left. They stumbled on the ground from their wounds. The others had abandoned them on their retreat to the forest.
Heric turned to his men, “Good job out there. You showed true courage, men. But never forget your training. Do not give in to the fear those avadons carry with them. You are better than them. It is only a matter of time before they are wiped out from our land. Hold strong.”
Heric stepped away when he was finished. The men cheered. Heric returned to his carriage with Forman. His speech was difficult to get through. He believed little of it. In the past year, every day of his rule was difficult. The avadons had gained a foothold in the Eluan territory. They would not so easily be taken out from their new home.
It was Heric’s task to rebuild the Eluan Empire. He believed his father Emperor Cyrus Caning could have muscled his way through it. His uncle, Emperor Nikali Caning, would have breezed through it. Heric was neither of them. He struggled through every decision. He was used to the battlefield. He could lead an army on gut instinct if he needed to. He could save his own life when it came down to it, but to lead a country from the throne was a different type of battle that Heric felt he was still not ready for. That was why he took any chance to return to the fight.
He longed for his old friends. In the span of a day he lost his entire life, replaced with the duties of the empire. He would give anything to have it back.
“Thank you, Forman,” said Heric.
“I’m just doing my duty. I have to protect you,” said Forman.
“We would have lost had I not intervened.”
“Our men would have done fine.”
“They were dying out there.”
“You could have died out there. You are more important than them. You are the Emperor of the known world. You have to forget this death wish you have for yourself. You are not the one who should be taking risks. I will take the risks for you if I have to.”
“It is my duty to protect-”
“You are my friend,” said Forman. “I do not want to lose you. You can make this empire better. I believe in you. Just listen to me sometimes. I am here to help.”
“Thank you, Forman. I guess I forget that sometimes.”
They sat quietly for a minute. The adrenaline from the battle was wearing off. Heric turned to the window of his carriage. He looked out to the canyon and the mist rising from the hollow below.
“How is the new group coming?” Heric asked.
Forman let out a sigh of disgust. “Not well,” he said. “The last report before we left showed nothing new. They’ve plateaued. The plan is not working.”
“That is unacceptable,” said Heric. “We need progress. What is the problem?”
“We are not sure,” said Forman. “We’ve upped the strength, but it is doing very little.”
“We’ve seen it done before. Why can we not replicate it?”
The question would remain open. Forman did not know the answer.
Heric’s project was a gamble. It risked outrage from the Royal Council. He needed to prove that it would work, but every day had been a failure in his eyes. He knew the capabilities. He just needed it under his control.
Chapter 5
The Talons proved to be the densest area of the Capitol. Nearly each building contained rooms only big enough to house one person. In the past year at least three people lived in a room. The streets flooded with the lost and downtrodden. Many of whom had nowhere to go. They would lie near comatose; high on Tamor Blood. The two Eluan guards walked past them and gave them no mind.
Madri and Sturren were no longer strangers to the area. They had been wandering the Talons for over a year. They moved into the area six months ago. Each day was the same routine. They walked the streets in a grid. They went to every brothel and every bar. If they heard a rumor about a location they would head there. Their only task was to find the lost Prial girl, Abigail.
Their emperor never questioned their tactics or their progress. Every day they would rough up a potential suspect. They didn’t wear the colors of the Eluan Empire. Rarely, would anybody see them coming.
This day, their grid walking was disrupted. In the previous tavern they heard from a gentleman with a broken nose that a young girl with orange eyes would be passing through a house several blocks down. Some men were preparing to pay a visit.
Madri and Sturren thanked the man for his help. They tipped him well and told him to not fall down as much. They would be back if nothing panned out.
Later, the two men stood outside the door. They had been to this house before. The women there were treated okay. It was an arcan house. Generally, everybody was out of their mind, dazed in their own thoughts. The most serious injuries were mental ones.
Madri pushed his way through the locked door. It gave after only two shoves. He drew his sword immediately afterward. Sturren was one step ahead of him. He charged into the room, weapon ready. A group of men and women in the room stared at the two soldiers wide eyed.
The five men were overweight. They had little ability to move. Three women stood bear naked. Their eyes glazed, smiles as wide as their faces.
Madri and Sturren could feel their swords wanting to come rushing out of their hands. They fought back, tightening their grip. They had been through this before. All they had to do was hold on long enough. The men would lose their concentration. Arcan never lasted that long. People were too weak to control it.
Sturren’s blade began to turn towards himself. He moved his head to keep it out of harm’s way. He put more pressure on his wrist. The sword moved back to a defensive position.
“Hold off,” ordered Madri. He looked at the fat men. They didn’t move. None of them were concerned of Madri’s threat.
The wind brushed the soldiers’ hair. It wiped around them, ruffling their clothes. They could feel pressure on their feet. Their boots wanted to jump out from under them. The soldiers continued to hold their place.
“We are looking for a girl,” said Sturren. “Orange eyes.”
After those last words, Sturren could feel the pressure releasing. It was all he needed. He shot forward. The pain became stronger, but he could bear it. Sturren drove his sword into the closest fat man.
It went straight through his knees. The man screamed out in pain.
Madri moved just as fast. He struck at a second man. Madri wasn’t as kind. His sword went straight across the man’s neck. He bled out in seconds.
The pressure did not dissipate. Both the soldiers still felt as held back as before. Their window was closing. The remaining three men tried to shuffle their bodies away from the soldiers. They only made it a few inches before growing exhausted. The women continued to look at the soldiers with their dead eyes. Their smiles only grown bigger. Their teeth were stained blood red.
Madri turned to the closest girl. He reached out for her throat. It was at that moment, he realized, he and Sturren had walked into a trap. The pressure became unbearable. Madri shut his eyes, forcing himself to block the pain out. His eyes were ready to pop. Then it went away. The air cooled. Madri dropped to his knees. He used his sword as a brace to keep him up that far.
Sturren ran at the women. They scurried through the doorway in the back. It led down into pure darkness. Sturren did not follow. Instead, he returned to his fallen friend. They retreated from the house as quickly as they could.
“We’re getting close,” said Madri once they were clear from any danger. His body had recovered quickly. Now, only his pride was hurt. “Somebody set up a trap.”
“How much do you think they know?” asked Sturren, “We can go back in there. They will not get the drop on us again.”
“They don’t know about the girl,” said Madri. “We wouldn’t have had that opening if they had. They were surprised.”
Then their conversation was cut short. A soldier on horseback approached them. His clothes were different than other soldiers. He was a personal guard. His armor was smaller than most. He was not a big man. Madri had met him on several occasions. He went by the nickname Tyeche. He protected the Empress.
Eluan Falls: The Tides of Utter Undoing Page 2
