The Eighth God (The Orcslayers Book 1)

by Paul S. Lavender

  ‘Sorry, but I am going to Hamerband, you and Tierra can go to Helekose.’

  From outside the fortress, a ragged cheering could be heard from the defenders on the walls.

  70: Another Army Approaches

  Quinn looked up from where he had been slitting an injured orc’s throat. The cheering that had erupted all around him stopping him in his tracks. Standing up he looked over the battlements to see an army coming towards the fortress. This was no orc army, though, soldiers in chain mail with polished helmets and spears held steady, they marched in unison down the War Road.

  Pennants were rippling in the sun from mounted lancers that rode along the sides of the soldiers and at the head of the column a single rider in leather armour and helm. Quinn didn’t recognise the motif upon the pennants – pale blue and white quarters with a red dagger in the centre. The army moved through the village and began to move up the slope towards the fortress.

  As the army drew closer, he realised that the commander was a woman, so that ruled out both battle mages and borderland regulars as they had no female commanders at the moment and the colours were wrong.

  Quinn could see on closer inspection that the troops had seen battle at some point, the shields and helms had dents here and there, one or two pennants were torn and bloody.

  The woman leading the army called the halt, and the troops came to a smart stop as the lancers spread out on both sides of the slope.

  Quinn started yelling, getting the men into position in case this was another attack. Around him, the men stopped cheering and began to run to the crenellations as behind him Kepler, the Orcslayers and Melress came up to join him.

  Kepler looked at Quinn, ‘What are they doing Sargent? Who the hell are they?’

  ‘Sir! They’re just waitin’ I have no idea who the fuck they are. Sir!’

  Kepler turned to the others. Saethryth was stroking his chin as he looked at the army below. Tierra stood next to him. Melress was smiling.

  ‘Something amuses you, Melress.’

  ‘Aye, you could say that. Looks like I’m going to Helekose after all.’

  ‘Thought you were going to check on your wife.’

  ‘She’s fine.’

  ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘She’s sat on that horse down there, but if I were you I would open the gates quick smart, she can get a bit vicious when she’s angry.’

  Kepler looked back at the army before yelling, ‘Open the gates!’

  Down below the army moved forward as the gates began to swing open.

  71: The Female is More Deadly

  Beatrice Melbrugess looked down at her Husband from the comfortable position of her horses back. At least Melress had the foresight to look abashed as her gaze seemed to pierce into him.

  They had married in the spring of last year when the trees had been in full blossom. They had both been eighteen but had known each other since they were little. In fact, Melress and Bea had saved each other from a monster known as The Fading Man.

  After that adventure, Melress had gone to become a battle mage and she back to being a princess. Years passed before she had seen him again, he had arrived at her father’s court on an old nag. The small, skinny boy she had known had begun to fill out more, the years of drill with a sword, armour, and shield was beginning to put muscle on his lean frame.

  He had come to see the delights of Hamerband, he had said as they had talked. The family home was empty what with his mother dead and his father in the orc lands. His old mentor Brett was no longer young and had preferred to keep an eye on the old house.

  They had spent time together and played games, her father had given ‘the hero’ the run of the palace. Soon his time to go came, and he was gone. She had felt empty inside, hoping that he would return soon, and so as the time passed they had come to fall in love.

  As they became older, she would sneak off with Melress, and he would teach her to use a sword and dagger. She had often asked her father for training, but he thought it was un-princess-like. Needlework and courtly dancing should be her skills, court intrigue and etiquette. Not blade and shield. When she had reached marrying age, her father had not pressed her to choose one of the old kings or princes. He had, by now known where her heart belonged and after her mother had died, had let his princess have her wish – on one condition.

  Melress would have to ask him for her hand.

  Her father never did understand Melress in that regard. By then Melress had had several adventures, some of which she had shared. Melress would not be cowed by something as so easy as asking a king for a daughter’s hand. And so, it had proven.

  Then a week ago a creature that could take another’s identity had attempted to kill the leader of her father’s guards. Bea had killed the creature, thrusting her sword through its heart even as it had killed the man. She had become the new leader of the guard.

  Then yesterday came disturbing reports of orcs and worse attacking the border fortresses. Her father had taken an army around the Hamerband mountains and sent his daughter west along the War Road. They had encountered a small war band and had done battle. Her casualties had been light, and the orcs had been wiped out. And now here she was looking down on her abashed Husband. Well, he could stew.

  Around her, her troops were helping the garrison to clear the battlements of the dead. She hated to think what the red and grey sludge was that was sticking to her horse’s hooves was.

  Melress gulped as he looked up at his wife, ‘Hello, darling. How was your day?’

  Beatrice tried, she tried hard not to laugh, but she couldn’t help herself. Flinging herself down off her horse she wrapped herself around him, and he held her close as he kissed the side of her head.

  After what seemed like an age she stepped out of his embrace, ‘How dare you have an adventure without me!’

  ‘Sorry my love, it’s just the way it happened. You know how I love spending time with you, going into caves, killing monsters. Bea, I would never purposely leave you out.’

  Bea looked at her husband more closely, ‘You’ve been promoted! Bastard, you didn’t tell me.’

  ‘Aye, sorry but I’ve had no time since it happened to write you a letter. Anyway, your still above me in the pecking order, a Princess will always trump a Captain.’

  ‘Silly! So, husband how many of the vile, green buggers did you kill?’

  ‘Err, technically none.’

  ‘None!? How is that even possible. You're no coward that I do know, so what have you been doing with yourself?’

  ‘Controlling the Knight. He did all my killing for me, bless him.’

  ‘Wait, wait. Don’t you have to be a priest to control the golems?’

  ‘Yes, which apparently, technically I am. So, that’s good isn’t it.’

  ‘Humph, it seems we have much to discuss, Husband. Let us away somewhere and talk.’

  ‘I wish I could, but I am needed in the infirmary. I’m sure my brother and the others will entertain you.’

  ‘Brother…’

  ‘Yes, the elf standing over there in the black leather with rubies. Saethryth is his name, he’s a good man and an Orcslayer…’

  ‘Orcslayer…’

  ‘Anyway best be off. Oh, how many did you kill?’

  ‘Oh, only about ten.’

  Melress paused in his stride ‘You’re getting slow in your old age.’

  ‘Cheek, I’m only nineteen!’

  ‘See you as soon as I can my love.’

  Beatrice walked towards the brother-in-law she hadn’t even met.

  72: Cold as Ice

  Saethryth watched as his new-found sister-in-law started walking towards him, taking off her leather helmet as she did so. Chestnut brown hair cascaded down her shoulders to cover the slightly pointed ears that denoted her half-elven ancestry. Slate grey eyes gazed upon the man who claimed to be her husband’s brother and regarded him coolly.

  ‘So, you're Saethryth, and you’re an Orcslayer and my brother-in
-law? Well, I’m telling you now if you so much as hurt a hair on Melress’s head I will hunt you to the ends of the world, and I will kill you slowly.’

  ‘And hello to you too, sister-in-law can I just say that for a princess you have a forthright way of talking. Trust me when I say that I have no intention of hurting Melress. My brother is quite capable of looking after himself.’

  Bea looked a bit chagrined as she ran a hand through her hair. She sighed ‘Sorry, sorry but Melress has been through a lot in so short a time already, we half-elves have had to put up with a lot of shit from your kind…’

  ‘My kind? You mean elves. I don’t pretend to know what it’s like growing up as a half-elf, but believe me when I say that I have lost friends that were half-elven. Good friends. I don’t care about his or your heritage, as far as I’m concerned your both family and will be treated as such.’

  ‘Easy to say, Saethryth.'

  ‘Do you think that when I was on the other side of the mountains that any half-elven slaves I rescued were left behind. No, I rescued anyone and everyone, because that’s what needed doing. Do not judge me on my race, just as you are asking me not to judge you on yours.’

  ‘Look Saethryth, I’m just asking you to look after my Husband, he’s a good man, too good in some ways, and he sees the good in other people, and on occasion, he gets burned.’

  ‘Believe me, Princess when I say that I’ll do whatever I can to keep Melress from harm.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  As Bea walked away to see to her troops, she couldn’t help thinking that the Orcslayer hadn’t told her everything.

  73: New Decisions

  Once again they were sat at the banqueting table, but this time, they had had time to get cleaned up. The villagers had rushed over themselves to heat water up and get hot baths ready for the men who had led the defence of their homes.

  Melress and Beatrice held hands as they sat next to each other, their bath had been a bit steamier as they had shared it together and had then made good use of the bed after. The two young half-elves hadn’t seen each other for nearly six months and had a lot of catching up to do. They were the last to arrive, with Kepler, Quinn, Saethryth and Tierra all waiting.

  Saethryth looked impatiently at the two late arrivals as they took their seats, ‘Good, we’re all here now.’

  Melress and Bea blushed.

  ‘As all of you know, except my newly acquired sister-in-law I did have a plan of what to do next. However, it seems that a new plan is required, and so I now propose that Melress, Tierra and myself will head to Helekose and find out what exactly is going on and put a stop to it. I cannot order anyone else as Orcslayers are not in the chain of command, but I suggest that everyone else either stays here or goes home.’

  ‘I’m coming!’ Bea shouted

  ‘I too want to know what this attack was all about, and I need to find out who killed my father.’ Kepler said ‘Quinn can hold the garrison, I’m coming too.’

  Quinn nodded his head in agreement ‘Aye, I’m a bit too old for adventurin’, I think I’ll stay here.’

  Melress knew better than to tell his wife that she wasn’t going as it would only lead him to a verbal assault. Anyway, he knew she could look after herself, he just wished she would wear chain mail rather than the leather armour, but he knew her reasons the leather was light and gave faster, and quieter movement.

  He was worried however about the fact that his wife was also a princess and would one day be the queen of Hamerband, what would her father say if something was to happen to her?

  He gave a little start as Bea squeezed his hand and when he looked she was smiling at him. How could he deny her this opportunity to go to one of the great wonders? He would just have to make sure nothing happened to her.

  Bea looked at her husband, he seemed so happy, but he was very trusting and honest. What did he really know about this elf that claimed to be his brother, well she would just have to go with them and make sure nothing happened to him.

  Saethryth looked around the table at the men and women sat there, he wished he could make them all Orcslayers because where they were going, they would need all the help they could get, but they weren’t elves, and so they would have to proceed as best they could.

  Tierra, Melress, Beatrice, Kepler and Himself were bound for Helekose, he couldn’t help wondering how many would come out again.

  Epilogue

  Ellowe brought his horse to a stop as he approached the small house that stood on the hill before them. The house had belonged to his family for generations, a little bolt-hole from the trials and tribulations of learning to be a battle mage. He knew every single nook and cranny, cave and stream for ten miles around, he and Lucy would be safe here. He would set some traps around the place both magical and ordinary, and she and the baby would have him as the last line of defence.

  When he looked at Lucy, he saw that she was on the point of exhaustion, and he was glad they had arrived at their destination. He would get her inside and settled in then prepare for any unexpected visitors, although what he would do when she came to give birth he wasn’t sure, probably faint.

  What was worrying him though was that Lucy looked a lot more than three weeks pregnant, there was a distinct bump in her belly. The problem was he didn’t know anything about babies. Still, there was a very small library in the house, about forty books or so, he hoped one was about midwifery, or he was fucked.

  At least their journey here had been uneventful, the roads had been clear of any bandits or worse, and their horses had made good time. They still had a couple of days of food in their saddlebags, and that would see them through the night until Ellowe could get out and set some snares. He doubted that the vegetable garden would be in very good shape, but there might be something he could salvage.

  The arrow when it came took him completely by surprise, piercing into his neck and through the throat. He sat gasping like a landed fish before falling sideways off his saddle. He could see light and then the most beautiful woman, she held him, and her warm tears rolled down her face to land on his own.

  Then blackness started to creep into the edges of his vision, he could hear footsteps approaching, and then rough hands were grasping at Lucy, pulling her away, even as Ellowe’s eyes became heavier and heavier and then closed forever. The image of Commander Arande looking down at him, a sneer on his face, went with Ellowe to the grave.

  §

  The cowled figure watched as the woman was bundled onto her horse. It was unfortunate that the Chosen had had to knock her out, but these things couldn’t be helped.

  Turning, he walked back to the crescent shaped table and smiled at the five similarly cowled figures as he approached.

  ‘Good news my friends. One of the Chosen has retrieved the goods and is on his way back with her now.’

  Murmurs and nods of content greeted this news, but he expected rapturous cheering and applause to greet his next news.

  ‘It has transpired that our Chosen has also come across the scent of our lost brethren. A woman by the name of the Black Empress has been busy in the Ashen Falls Underworld…’

  ‘Is it our long-lost sister, brother?’

  The interruption was annoying, but the figure didn’t try to show it in his voice as he continued, ‘Yes, both the chosen and I have no doubt that it is our sister. We have found Elloine. One of us must go to Ashen Falls and bring her home.’

  Before she remembers who she is, he thought to himself before continuing, ‘To Helokose.’

  §

  It took three men to break down the oak and iron-studded door that barred their entry into Commander Arande’s room. The Commander sat at his desk with his head drooped forward, blood covered the desk in front of him. Flies buzzed backwards and forwards from the corpse to the open window.

  No one had seen the Commander for four days, which while unusual was not unheard of, but the showery weather had given into hot sunshine, and it hadn’t taken long for the stench of
decay to sneak under the door.

  There was no point calling a priest, Commander Arande was too far gone as was whoever had murdered him.

  §

  Ekkanas listened as all the orc shaman of the Kul tribe burned, screams filtered through the heavy stone door that blocked the exit. It had been so easy to trick that gullible fool Grash into thinking he was a messenger from Helokose, and his brother had been even easier trick. Promises of leadership and glory had worked as well as any charm.

  Now the heat of the naphtha would be destroying him and all his brethren, leaving the surface free for his people to invade. And Helokose, yes, that would fall too for his people had been in the cold, damp dark for too long.

  An Excerpt from Book 2 Of The Orcslayer Chronicles: The Sect of Seven

  1: Foremost

  High Priest Olline sat at his desk in the Cathedral of Illaria, in the city of Foremost. He harrumphed as he looked through a letter he had received from his contact in Ashen Falls, his eyes scanned the blocky almost childlike scrawling, seeing the story within the story. Even the position of the random looking ink splats had a meaning if one had the cypher to it all.

  Olline, and no doubt the other High Priests had spies throughout the known world, each one would send reports back on an as and when basis, and they were from different walks of life and both sexes. The only thing they had in common was that every one of them was a true-blooded Elf, anyone wanting to join the network was subject to detection spells and if the tests were failed the person was killed.

  He sighed, and pressed fingers to his nose. He didn’t consider himself an evil person, after all, he was the head of one of the seven branches of the divine elven gods, but he knew he was going to have to order a lot of deaths in the coming days. Still, it wasn’t as if he had to do it, he had the Sect for that kind of work, but to mobilise the Sect he would need more information.