Worl jumped out of the boat before it reached the shore. He was waist deep in water as he approached Forman. “We wish to talk terms,” he said to Forman.
“No,” Forman replied. He then whipped out a knife from behind his back. Before Worl could react the knife was thrown right into his skull. The river swallowed the dead body with its white capped teeth.
Heric watched in stunned silence. He saw Forman’s arm move and Worl disappear into the river. Quaet was anything but silent.
“What is he doing? Did they see it?”
“Give the order,” Heric grumbled. “Tell them to attack. Get Forman out of there.”
Quaet relayed the messages down to the army below. The Eluan army roared to life as they charged toward their enemy.
Heric tried to remain calm. He watched as his friend down below in the river started walking toward the emissary boat.
Forman fought against the current of the river. The ground rumbled from the soldiers racing down the riverbank. Forman approached the boat with caution. His sword was out; ready to strike.
He knocked the boat. The line holding the boat in place was revealed. In a swift motion, Forman cut the ties. The boat went floating down the river.
Suddenly, the water erupted behind Forman. Forman turned. He swung his sword wide. The blade caught the Tcher elite soldier, Mylo, in the rib cage. The hit only knocked the attacker back. His armor was made of solid wood. It would deflect most sword attacks. Then Mylo returned under the surface. Forman waited for the Tcher soldier to attack again from beneath the water.
Mylo had accompanied Worl down the river. He swam alongside the boat from under the water. Forman caught him when they made their final stop for air before meeting at the riverbank. Tcher discussing terms was a trap.
Forman could hardly keep track of his attacker. The river’s surface was too broken up to see to the bottom. Then he felt a grip across his ankles. Before Forman could react he was pulled underwater.
“Get some men to pull Forman out of there,” Heric ordered again. He watched helplessly as his confidant slipped into the river. The Eluan soldiers pushed past the spot Forman had gone down. They were concerned with the Tcher army ahead of them.
Instead of charging forward the Tcher army remained where they were. The first line of defense held their position. They waited for the Eluan men to meet them.
Other soldiers in the back began to advance. They made their way to the river. Soldiers on board the ships threw down small rafts, almost shield like. The Tcher soldiers on the ground took the rafts and rode out onto the river. They did not ride on top. They swam under them. They were defenses to protect the soldiers from attacks above the surface.
The rafts swarmed the river. The current quickly carried them past the first line of defense from the Eluan Empire.
“Do not let them get to the gates,” ordered Heric. “Fire the catapults at them. Have the archers relentless. Stop them.”
Forman struggled for air. His hands broke the surface, but that was as far as he could go. Mylo had his arms and legs wrapped around Forman’s body. It weighed him down. His sword had disappeared, taken away by the river. The two men jostled at the bottom. They were knocked into rocks as they were carried down the river toward the gates.
Mylo had been down longer than Forman, but Forman’s lungs were already on fire. He knew he could not go on much longer. Tcher lived and died by the water. Forman had no doubt the soldier could outlast him.
Forman struggled to fight off his adversary. The power of the river and the rocks at the bottom further injured Forman; weakening him. His vision was going black. His body ached to grab one last gasp of air.
His hand reached out and grabbed hold of a rock on the bottom of the river. He struck it at his opponent. The rock hit several times against Mylo’s arm. The water grew murky with blood. Forman fought harder as he felt the grip around him loosen. He swung his head around to create distance. Then Forman beat the rock against the head of the soldier. Mylo shook violently. He let go of Forman, and the man’s near lifeless body continued down the river.
Forman scrambled to the surface. His face broke into the air. His lungs screamed out in joy. But the river was quick to bring him back down. Forman kept his head above the water. He slammed into a rock in the middle of the river. It damaged his shoulder but he was relieved to no longer be moving.
He took several more deep breaths. The air tasted like sugar to his senses. He looked out to the battle before him. The Eluan soldiers were going head to head with the Tcher army up the river.
Ahead he could see several of the Tcher rafts coming his way. He was confused at what they were. He had no time to analyze them. Eluan soldiers rushed to the spot where Forman was resting.
“This way, sir,” said one of the Eluan soldiers. “You need to get out before Tcher comes your way.” The man offered out a rope for Forman to grab onto. Forman looked back at the rafts headed in his direction. Quickly, he grabbed the rope and his men pulled him out of the water. He was safely on shore when the Tcher rafts floated past them.
Forman knew he had no time to rest. He and the other soldiers raced down the river to continue the fight.
Heric watched as the Eluan defense was futile against the rafters charging down the river. The catapults launched boulders into the river. They took out only a few of the Tcher men. The rafts shattered on contact and the men crushed underneath. Arrows stuck to the rafts like quills on a porcupine, but they did little damage to the soldiers under the water.
Boulders were sent ahead of the Tcher rafts. Several of them landed together creating a choke point in the river. The water level rose looking for ways around the giant rocks.
The Tcher soldiers hit the boulders. The first few made it past the new defense, but the others started to pile up. Slowly, they made it past the boulders, but other soldiers were restless. They attempted to climb over the obstacles. Their plan was met with dozens of Eluan arrows striking them down.
“It’s still not good enough,” said Quaet. “Others have already made it past.
“They will be stopped,” assured Heric.
“Cut them off!” Forman ordered. He signaled for the men down the river to meet the Tcher rafters head on. The Eluan army got into the water. They formed their ranks against the current of the river.
The rafters collided with the Eluan army. The Tcher soldiers emerged from their hiding spot under the rafts. Slowly, they pressed forward with the aid of the mighty river.
The archers held their attack or risked hitting their own men. It was up to the soldiers in the water to end the assault.
The battle raged on up the river. The ships had not advanced. The rest of the Tcher army held their ground against the Eluan forces. The death toll was rising on both sides.
Forman rushed over to the fight in the river. The Tcher soldiers pushed their way through the crowd of Eluan men. The rafts aided as shields. They would strike under the water at the legs of the Eluan army. Soldiers would succumb to the river and get carried away by the current. The Tcher rafters continued to get deeper and deeper into the Eluan lines. Bodies floated through the crowd creating confusion and crowded the overflowing river.
Forman ran to the far side of the battle at hand. The back of the Eluan army had not been broken yet. Every moment they fought they were pushed closer to the Capitol gates. If the Tcher rafters reached the aqueducts they could get lost in the city. Many would die before the Tcher men could be found.
“Get the archers ready, Forman,” Heric muttered to himself.
He watched the battle rage closer to the gates. He kept his eyes on the Tcher men in the middle of the battle. They continued to fight with no remorse. The Eluan soldiers were cramped into the river to get at their prey. The injured were sometimes crushed and drowned by their brethren in all of the chaos.
“They are going to break through,” said Quaet.
“I know,” said Heric.
Forman assembled more archers at po
ints beyond the battle in the river. It was the last stand between the Tcher men and the Capitol of the Eluan Empire.
“Hold your positions,” he ordered the archers. They stood at the ready. Their arrows pointed in the direction of the battle and the river before them.
Forman watched as the Tcher soldiers closed in on the end of the Eluan men in the river. They were almost through their defenses. Only a few men stood between them and open river once again.
Forman steadied himself. He waited to give the order to launch. The Tcher men were about through the last of the Eluan lines.
Then there was a disturbance at the city gates. Brick and mortar groaned under the weight of gravity. The aqueducts were crumbling. Forman turned to see his archers abandoning their posts.
“No!” he yelled out. “No! Don’t do this!”
The Tcher rafters broke through the Eluan lines. Swiftly they dove back into the water. Forman was too late to give the signal. The arrows fired, but only hit a couple of targets. Most of the Tcher rafters were on their way to the gates.
Forman turned back to the walls. Heric’s decision enraged him. The rumble continued. Then the gates at the aqueduct collapsed. Debris and rubble filled the river blocking off the path beyond the Capitol walls. The river surged against the new dam and drove forward to its once original path before the Eluan Capitol had ever been dreamed.
The Tcher rafters slammed into the wall. Many of them attempted to still gain access to the Capitol with no result.
Forman stood still. He cursed Heric’s name for not relying on him. “Finish them off,” he said calmly to his men.
Most of the Tcher soldiers did not make it past the dam. The Eluan army caught up to them and slaughtered their enemy on the rocks.
A new signal was being relayed from the watchtower. The Eluan army was being told to retreat back to the walls. The Tcher army would have to find another way into the Capitol.
Forman shook his head in frustration. Their victory was bittersweet. Tcher had just lost, but it came at the cost of the Capitol. Now the citizens inside were cut off from their water supply. Forman believed Heric did not save their city, only stalled the next fight. And there was nothing Forman could do about it.
Chapter 46
Dust hung in the air days after the battle in the river. The aqueducts were destroyed. The streams had gone dry throughout the city by morning of the next day. The only water left was in the reserves.
Tcher had not made advancement toward the walls. The Eluan soldiers held their positions to defend the city. It was now an even playing field between both of the armies. The vicious Tcher forces would have to meet the larger Eluan army head on if they wanted to take the Capitol.
The Royal Council celebrated in the war room. Their campaign to keep the Tcher army out of the Capitol was a success. Heric had already begun to form plans for the rationing of their water supply until the aqueduct could be fixed. His decision did not come easy, but Quaet convinced him it was the only way. Tcher had broken through all of their defenses. If the wall had not come down then the battle would have continued and Tcher soldiers would have infiltrated the Capitol.
Forman stood on the outskirts of the celebration. He simmered in his own anger. The men around him were cheering his personal defeat. They stopped Tcher from advancing, but Forman believed he could have stopped them all together. His body still ached from the battle. He had only just returned from the ward. Despite his mood he still had duties to perform.
Heric and Quaet looked over the map of the empire. Reports had come in that the Tcher army was converging toward the Capitol. Eluan was doing the same. Before long the entire forces of the known world would be at the gates of the Capitol. It more than worried Heric.
The door to the war room opened. One of the palace pages greeted the Royal Council. He bowed his head and waited for the crowd to acknowledge him.
“What is it?” Heric asked. Finally the crowd quieted down to listen to the messenger.
“Nikali Caning has returned, sir,” said the page.
“Tell him to report to me immediately,” ordered Heric.
“He has people with him,” quivered the page.
“Who?” Heric asked.
“I do not know. They look to be drifters.”
“How many?”
“Nearly two dozen, sir,” said the page.
Nikali lead his procession of vagabonds and whores through the palace. Many of them had never seen riches of the sort the royal class offered. Their fingers smudged against the marble walls. Decorative vases and knick knacks went missing as the line of wanderers continued on their journey to the bowels of the palace.
Nikali paid their curious hands no mind. He proudly guided his new troop down to the training room. Cassandra walked beside him. Their arms were intertwined.
After hearing the news, Heric rushed out of the war room. Forman and Quaet hurried to accompany him.
“What does he think he’s doing?” Heric asked no one in particular.
“He is taking advantage of your generosity. Just as I said he would,” said Quaet.
“Then what is he doing back?” Heric asked.
“Because you still give him the benefit of the doubt,” said Quaet.
“Why did you let him leave, Forman?” Heric asked his confidant.
“I was trying to make this arrangement work,” said Forman. “You’ve put a lot of faith behind Nikali, more than what I would have wanted, and he was not delivering. I had to change something or he would have left permanently. His demands were growing outrageous. This helped keep him involved. He is not interested in making a new squad for us.”
“We need to put a stop to this now,” argued Quaet. “Nikali has brought people to the Capitol for a reason. That does not mean it’s good for us. Salvage what you can from this project, Heric, if you must. Force any information that Nikali might have out of him.”
Heric stopped. He turned around and faced Forman and Quaet directly. “There will be no harm done to my cousin. He is a member of the Royal Council. We can still make this work. We just have to talk to him. He is here to help. When his team is ready there will be no more defeats on the battlefield. We will stop Tcher once and for all.”
“How can you trust him, sir?” Quaet asked.
“Because we want the same thing,” said Heric. “We need to get Empress Marina back.”
The path Nikali and the others walked through was evident. The floor was littered with debris knocked over from cabinets and walls. Dirt and grime spread out across the walls. The palace servants stood quietly as Heric, Forman, and Quaet walked by. They kept their heads down afraid Heric would be angry at the mess they could not prevent.
The path of destruction lead all the way down to the training room. By the time Heric arrived the door to the room was shut and locked. Heric loudly knocked on the door. It was all he could do. There was no chance of taking down the door. Not at that time.
After several minutes of knocking and yelling for Nikali the locks clanked open. Heric did not wait for the door to open. He pushed at the handle, but the door would still not budge. All of his strength and the door held.
Then the door creaked open as if persuaded by a gust of wind. Nikali shot his head out the door. He hung his head upside-down as he looked up at Heric and the others.
“A rooster crows in the morning. Where have all the people gone?” Nikali said. The smell of Tamor Blood hung on his breath.
“What is going on?” Heric asked his low hanging cousin.
“I am following orders,” said Nikali.
“Who is in the room with you?” Heric tried to open the door, but once again the door would not budge. Nikali laughed as his cousin tried.
“Only I am worthy to open the door,” said Nikali.
“Let me in,” demanded Heric.
“I am very busy,” said Nikali. “Did you know that the tiny toe on your foot helps you keep balance? One little prick under the nail and all of a sudden a pe
rson can’t stand comfortably. I wonder what a soldier might feel.”
“Nikali, I need to know about what is going on. This is my project,” said Heric. “Tcher is at our doorstep. You can not just leave on a whim. We could have used you in the last battle.”
“You did not win?” Nikali asked.
“Barely,” said Heric. “Stop getting distracted and get this squad ready. Your delays are costing people their lives. You said you could do this.”
“I can,” said Nikali. “But I do not work on the schedule of the Tcher army or yours. I am forming my team the way I see fit. We will be ready when it is time.”
“You were supposed to train my soldiers,” said Heric. “Not a bunch of people you found off the street.”
“Didn’t you find your soldiers off the street?” Nikali wondered. “Besides, I still have one of them.” Nikali turned his head back toward the training room. “Aul! Aul, get over here!”
A moment later, Aul came to the door. He was pale white. His skin outlined his bone structure. His teeth were stained red.
“Yes, sir?” Aul asked. His head stuck through the door above Nikali’s.
“Our Emperor wishes to know how you are progressing,” Nikali said.
“Wonderfully,” said Aul. “I have walked across the empire with only my thoughts. You may imprison my body, but you can never trap my mind. It’s a wonderful thing to be free.”
Nikali raised his hand to Aul’s face and pushed him back into the room. “See? I am following your wishes. There is still one of your soldiers.”
“Where are the others?”
“They couldn’t cut it.”
“Nikali, I need your help,” said Heric. “The next time Tcher attacks I need you there. Please.”
Nikali stood upright. He looked Heric in the eyes. “I will be there next time, Heric. I promise.” Then just as quickly as the door opened it was slammed closed. Heric was left with silence in the narrow hallway.
Eluan Falls: The Tides of Utter Undoing Page 18
